11 Alternate Nature of the Veil
by Daintress
Summary: Complete. AU since HBP The sister story to 11 Sorting Things Out. How does Muriel live her life if the veil is unbreachable? A 'what if' story for my 'what if' story! sequels will follow from 11STO, not this!
1. Introduction

Introduction  
  
When the Sorting had finished and Professor McGonagal was lifting the hat and stool to exit the hall, the students and teachers gave an astonished gasp. Under the hat, there appeared a petite, brunette woman in muggle clothing. Professor Dumbledore stood up, but only the rather bemused woman took any notice of him until he spoke. Everyone else's eyes were on her. "Welcome. To what do we owe this honor?" His eyes were kind, but there was no hiding the surprise in his voice.  
  
"It appears that I have been pulled out of the Sorting Hat, Professor," she replied in a distinctly American accent, "to be your new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher." At this remarkable announcement, Harry turned to Ron amid whispers from the other students, but jerked his head back around at the sound of Snape pushing back his chair. They watched as he threw his napkin onto the table and turned to stomp out.  
  
"Severus?" the woman whispered, stepping backward in surprise. Snape paused briefly, then continued out, letting the door slam behind him. There was an uncomfortable silence, which only ended when Professor Dumbledore sat down unceremoniously and said, "Well, Tuck In!" as the new professor exited in haste through the nearest door.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged a meaningful look before dashing out of the hall to fetch the invisibility cloak, but found, as they mounted the second staircase, that they didn't need it. "Severus, please stop walking for just a moment!" When there was no answer, she muttered, "Impedimenta." Snape's footsteps ceased. Severus suppressed a sigh as he felt the familiar expression of resignation creep over his face. Dumbledore may not have recognized her, but he knew for certain that this was one person he wasn't going to be able to avoid.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked up at the next landing to see her walking around to face Snape, whose face, to their surprise, showed not anger, but resignation. Feeling suddenly as though this was not a scene they ought to be witnessing, they looked sideways at one another before starting back downstairs. As they walked, however, a powerful feeling swept over them. From above, they heard her whisper, "When you can move, join me for tea in your office." There was a hint of amusement behind these words, but the trio didn't catch it, as they were already running back down to the Great Hall.  
  
Severus felt her emotion, pressing hard on his mind's defenses. He had missed that. Still, he didn't speak, as she went back down the staircase, heading for the Potions Master's office in the dungeons.  
  
"What was that?" Harry breathed as they stumbled back into the Great Hall. He was holding the front of his robes so tightly that they crinkled.  
  
"Don't know," said Ron, "but it nearly knocked me down!" They both looked at Hermione, who was visibly shaken.  
  
"It felt like love," Hermione whispered, in disbelief. 


	2. Chapter 1 Reunited

Chapter 1 Reunited  
  
The tension was so thick he could taste it. What could he say to her? He couldn't tell her about Black, she would take it worse coming from him than from anyone else. He stood in the doorway of his own office as she sat in his chair, looking over his notes for tomorrow's lessons with an amused smile on her face. Finally she looked up and noticed him.  
  
"You teach the Slytherins and Gryffindors together?" she asked quietly. He grimaced, but felt relieved. This at least was familiar territory.  
  
"It gives me a chance to prove what an evil git I really am," he replied. She smiled at him, but his expression didn't change, and her smile faltered quickly.  
  
"You're wearing your school mask, Sev. There's no one here to intimidate. Smile." It was a direct order, and she gave it with all the authority of a lifetime friend. He smiled. It felt foreign, until she returned it and jumped out of the chair to throw her arms around his neck. Then it felt like the right expression entirely.  
  
"Do you know how long I looked for you?" he whispered, squeezing her tightly. "I'm so sorry."  
  
"It wasn't your fault. I made the choice, and it was the right one. Papa would have sacrificed you to protect himself. You had the mark, so they would have handed you over to the dementors. You might never have made it to Azkaban. I couldn't let that happen. But how did you get a job here? Even with Riddle gone, I can't believe Dumbledore would – "  
  
He cut her off, pulling away to look at her. "Riddle's not gone, Mur. And Dumbledore has me teaching here because I'm spying for the Order."  
  
Her mouth fell open and she let him go abruptly. He waited as she swallowed hard and looked away. Finally she turned back around. "You went to Dumbledore that night, then, before James and Lily – "  
  
She didn't finish. It had been just over 15 years, and it was still hard to admit they were dead. Severus nodded, parking himself on one of the student desks as she fell heavily back into his chair. They were awfully close to the topic he hoped to avoid.  
  
"Where've you been, Mur?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Catching dark wizards in America." Muriel looked up in time to see Severus' eyes widen. He had looked all over that blasted country!  
  
But she misunderstood. "I've caught over 200 in the last 15 years. Only had to kill 32." She smiled grimly as he shook his head. Apparently there were a lot of dark wizards in America. But he had always known she would be a good Auror. There had never been any question.  
  
It was nearly two in the morning when their conversation was interrupted by Professor Dumbledore. Naturally, when he had seen their reaction to one another in the hall, he had determined whom the Sorting Hat had brought.  
  
"Professors?" he inquired as he pushed the door open slowly. "I was wondering if I might have a word with you?" Severus and Muriel looked up. Mur scowled. She had never much liked Dumbledore, but what Sev had just told her about how the man had helped him made her rethink her expression. She carefully fixed a blank look on her face as Severus answered.  
  
"Of course, Headmaster."  
  
"Welcome back, Professor Deesia. It has been too long." He looked at her with his twinkling eyes over the spectacles she remembered so well.  
  
"Thank you," she answered stiffly, shaking his outstretched hand.  
  
"I believe that before the term begins we should discuss Mr. Potter's extracurricular studies." He paused, looking at Severus, who looked away.  
  
"James and Lily's son?" Mur asked quietly.  
  
"Looks just like James," Dumbledore replied, nodding as Mur's eyes filled with tears. She and James had never quite gotten close, but Lily had been a very good friend. Being back at Hogwarts brought the pain so much nearer.  
  
"We believe that it would be in everyone's best interests for the boy to learn Occlumency, since he seems to have a strong mental connection to Voldemort."  
  
"Riddle," Muriel corrected, before he could continue. Professor Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, and even Severus turned to look at her, though he had hoped to stay out of this conversation entirely. "Scum like him don't get the honor of choosing their own name. He's a mud blood. He can deny it all he wants, but he will always be the one thing he detests the most, and I for one will take every opportunity to remind him of it."  
  
Both men stared at her for a moment. She wasn't angry, or upset. She just stated facts. Dumbledore smiled. Obviously Muriel Deesia had changed very little.  
  
It was decided in short order that she would take over the Occlumency lessons, so that Severus wouldn't have to. Then Dumbledore left. By the time she hugged Severus again and said goodnight, it was nearly four AM, and she was starting to wonder how she was going to stay awake through her lessons tomorrow. 


	3. Chapter 2 Finding Out the Hard Way

Chapter 2 Finding Out The Hard Way  
  
Muriel faced her Gryffindor and Slytherin 6th year students with a tired expression. "Good morning class."  
  
"Good morning Professor Deesia," the class intoned. Professor Deesia glanced around with a look on her face that was at once amused and revolted. "That," she said, matter-of-factly, "will be Umbridge's influence. Please refrain from doing that ever again." Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown giggled.  
  
"Let's see, you've had several teachers in this class, I believe. Professor Lupin would surely have gone over most of the dark creatures with you. Crouch would have taught you all the things you need to know that I am not allowed to teach, and Lockhart? Well, perhaps he will be of some help to you this year, even if he was useless as a teacher."  
  
Professor Deesia stopped at Draco Malfoy's desk, and looked down at the book he'd just brought out. "Most unsuitable," she said, suddenly humorless. "We will use these instead." She flicked her wand almost carelessly and the book covers all changed. Gilderoy Lockhart was now seen blinking stupidly up from each desk. The class groaned. "Read the title, please, before you pass judgment," she replied, amused.  
  
Seamus Finnegan read aloud, "How it was really done: The True Heroes of Lockhart's Stories by Muriel Deesia."  
  
"Mr. Potter, you may add this to the list of books you are already in," Professor Deesia said as a smile played around the corners of her lips. "Mr. Weasley, I believe you will want an extra copy, as it is your debut." She flicked her wand again, and another copy appeared in front of Ron as the class tittered appreciatively. Ron grinned as he looked at the books in front of him.  
  
Malfoy scowled back at Harry and Ron, as Professor Deesia waved her wand in the direction of her desk, and scrolls came whizzing through the air to land in front of each student. She was pleased to notice that Malfoy was so interested in the scroll that he forgot whatever rude thing he'd been about to say to the Gryffindors. She heard him whisper, "Wow," and was still more pleased to see him bend over his scroll immediately.  
  
"One of my better enchantments, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked kindly. The rest of the class looked puzzled, but he was nodding. "Perhaps you can explain it to us, since you figured it out so quickly." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.  
  
"It's a test paper that reads your thoughts and writes what you know about each question for you." He held his up. "See, mine is finished. If you want to interrogate someone, this is the way to do it. I haven't even read all these questions yet!" His voice was as close to awe as Harry had ever heard it. Looking down, he saw that his paper was complete as well.  
  
"Excellent, Mr. Malfoy, 20 points to Slytherin. Pity we won't be using these for your finals, unfortunately we must also test your ability to access the information you learn. Now then," she said, summoning the scrolls back to her desk. They landed neatly in an open desk drawer, which closed with a click. "This evening, please read the first 2 chapters in your text book. For now, though, you may put your books away and pull out your wands." The class whispered excitedly, and Harry and Ron grinned at each other as they reached down for their bags.  
  
Harry, digging for his wand, pushed aside the knife Sirius had given to him, and his grin faded. Looking up, he saw that Ron's grin had also left his face, though for a different reason. Harry followed his gaze to see that Professor Deesia had stepped backward and was leaning heavily against the blackboard. Her face was flushed red as she stared at Harry with a look of horror. 'Oh no,' Harry thought, looking wildly for an escape route, 'not another teacher predicting my death.' Professor Deesia was breathing shallowly, but was able to gasp, "Class Dismissed," weakly. No one moved.  
  
At that moment, to everyone's surprise, Professor Snape appeared in the doorway. "Class Dismissed," he hissed, nearly as softly as she had, but with better effect, as the entire class left the room almost instantly.  
  
As they made their way through the hallway, a single voice rang out. "HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME?" It was Professor Deesia, and from the sound of it she was extremely angry.  
  
"What was that all about?" Ron asked Hermione as they walked down the hall. They now had a quarter of a lesson period free to contemplate the strange illness of what looked to be their best Defense against the Dark Arts teacher yet. They felt strangely sad, and wandered aimlessly in the general direction of Hagrid's cabin. Around them, other students were also walking with their heads down. Outside the front door, two girls were crying quietly together.  
  
"Surely you are aware of why I would not speak of it last night." Snape said, exasperation tingeing his voice.  
  
"But to let me find it out from the boy!" She exclaimed in reply.  
  
"Muriel, please. You know now, isn't that enough?" He turned away. Muriel, seated at one of the student desks in the front row, hurriedly left the room as Snape glared angrily at the blackboard. "Will you go to see Lupin, I suppose?" he shot fiercely at the door as she passed through it. She didn't answer, but instead made her way down to the grounds, looking for Harry Potter. She had promised the headmaster that she would speak with him.  
  
"Mr. Potter," she called, in the happiest voice she could muster, "If you have a moment, would you see me in my office?" Ron and Hermione looked anywhere but at Harry as he muttered, "See you later," and followed Professor Deesia back into the castle. He was pretty sure he wasn't in trouble for anything, since term had just begun. When they reached her office, he was surprised to see that it was entirely empty. Professor Deesia smiled apologetically, "The Sorting Hat didn't give me time to pack. In fact, it didn't give me any warning at all. I was simply whisked all the way from New York to here. It explained my new position to me on the way. It turns out," she added, almost as an afterthought, "that I am not here just to be the Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, but also to teach you Occlumency. I understand that your previous teacher was," here she paused, as though making up her mind, "unable to continue in that regard." She finished, rather quickly, with a look out the open office door.  
  
Harry's heart fell. Of all the things he thought she might want to discuss with him, this was the least welcome. She seemed to sense this, because she smiled a tight smile at him and went on. "Don't worry. There will be no set time for our lessons. You will have plenty of time to study for your classes and even to play Quidditch."  
  
He looked up, confused. "But if we don't have a time to practice - " He trailed off uncertainly, and she explained.  
  
"Do you recall the best lesson the imposter of Moody taught you?" She frowned slightly, and then continued, though not loudly, "Constant vigilance, Mr. Potter, that is what I will require of you. You have surely noticed that I myself am not excellent at hiding my emotions." Harry nodded, his eyes widening somewhat.  
  
"I was brought here for two reasons. Firstly to teach you to defend yourself against intrusions of the mind, and secondly, to perform the task of watching Riddle's mind - an ability which proved helpful, I believe, in the case of Mr. Weasley." Harry wondered fleetingly how she could know so much of what was going on, before remembering the whispered conversation he'd overheard on the stairs the night before.  
  
"Ah, Professor Snape mentioned to me that you were well known for finding out such things." She startled him, and he glanced up in horror. "Yes, I expect that he did tell you that the mind is too complex to be read like a book," she said, responding to the first thought that had jumped into his head. "I am somewhat of an anomaly because even without a spell, I can generally tell what people are thinking as they are thinking it. I must actually perform the spell, however, when the person is out of my eyesight. That, I think, is how you and I will practice. I will choose times randomly throughout each day to test your ability to throw me out of your mind. I will use the same means that Professor Snape did, however, in my case, you might actually be kissing Cho Chang when I choose to test you." Her gray eyes twinkled mischievously as Harry turned a shocking shade of scarlet. "We will evaluate your progress weekly, following our Defense against the Dark Arts classes," she said. "And we will review whatever you have already read, and see about providing you with some of my father's books, if Professor Snape has not done so already."  
  
"Books? There are books about Occlumency?" Harry looked confused. Professor Snape had never given him anything to read.  
  
Muriel was silent. Was it possible that Severus hadn't given the child a single book to learn from before he started casting spells on him? "YES, books. Go to the library," she jotted her signature quickly on a slip of parchment and handed it to him. "Take out every book in every section that even MENTIONS Occlumency or Legilimency. Read them all. We'll base your final this year on those books."  
  
She stifled a sigh as he looked at her, wide eyed, and took the parchment. As if the boy didn't hate Severus enough already! She gathered her things.  
  
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I only have a few days left to visit with an old friend before he 'leaves town' for a night." She winked at Harry, and left, throwing a black, fitted jacket with what looked like tails, over her obviously muggle outfit of jeans and a tee shirt. Harry peaked out the doorway in time to see her receive a little note from Professor Dumbledore. He was sure it was the address to Grimmauld Place, but pushed it from his mind. He didn't want to think about Sirius just now. He was going to be taking Occlumency lessons again, and NOT with Professor Snape! 


	4. Chapter 3 Old Friends and Deadly Retrib...

Chapter 3 Old Friends and Deadly Retribution  
  
Lupin looked up from where he and Molly sat at the kitchen table as the front door opened. They weren't expecting anyone. Both stood and pulled out their wands. They started as the portrait in the hallway began her diatribe, and then, suddenly was silenced by a soft voice. "Hello mum." The woman in the portrait looked around warily, but as she couldn't see any of the usual blood traitors and mudbloods, she had fallen silent. Then she said, in the only kindly voice Remus and Molly had ever heard her use, "Muriel, dear, is that you? Back from America after all this time?"  
  
Remus' wand dropped and he dashed into the hallway. The portrait of Mrs. Black began screaming immediately, but fell to the floor in the wash of excited happiness that ran through the house as Remus hugged his old friend. "Muriel, how can you be here? But - " he added, his happiness waning as hers did, "then, you already know," he stammered this last out as Muriel began crying. He held her as best he could as Molly entered the hallway, confused. Lupin introduced them, and led Muriel to the kitchen. They sat together as Molly made tea. "How did it happen, Remus?" She asked, finally, lifting her head. He recounted for her the entire story of the previous two-year's adventures. She gasped at the finding of Wormtail, and gave him a reproving look as he tried valiantly to keep the anger out of his voice as he described Snape's hand in it all. When he finished the tale of the final duel against Bellatrix, Muriel's eyes filled again, but she forced the tears to stay put. The correct emotion for this situation was definitely anger. After all, she'd been grieving for Sirius for 15 years.  
  
She stood abruptly. "If you'll excuse me." She turned to go upstairs.  
  
"Mur?" Remus said quickly. "His room is – "  
  
But she cut him off. "Third floor, second door on the right. I remember." She turned again, and again he called her back.  
  
"Mur, in the drawer beside his bed you'll find your ring."  
  
She turned back around slowly, a look of shock on her face. "Thanks Moony," she whispered before she fled up the stairs, her face in her hands.  
  
Remus took a tray of food upstairs a few hours later and pushed open the door. Then he dropped the tray and dove out of the way as a spell splintered the wood. He gathered the food with summoning spells and headed back downstairs as the door repaired itself. Perhaps she wasn't hungry.  
  
It was finally Friday, the end of the first week of term. Owl post had arrived, and Ron and Harry were looking through a catalog from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes when Hermione gave an audible gasp and looked up at Harry through glistening eyes. "Look at this!" she exclaimed, handing him the newspaper.  
  
"Mysterious Death of Two Known Death Eaters  
Blows Ministry Credibility to Bits:  
  
Known Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange and Peter Pettigrew were found  
dead today in a disreputable shop in Knockturn Alley. Both bore the  
Dark Mark on their arms. Poly juice potion was found on each of them,  
though it had long since worn off. No obvious cause of death was  
discovered. The finding of Pettigrew's body is a huge embarrassment  
for the Ministry. A trial was held to ascertain how he could have  
been alive as recently as last week when he was supposed to have been  
killed by fugitive Sirius Black 15 years ago. Several key witnesses  
came forward to reveal that Pettigrew was in fact the secret keeper  
for James and Lily Potter. The Ministry has issued a full pardon to  
Mr. Black, post-mortem."  
  
Harry finished reading and passed the paper silently to Ron. When he had read it, he looked up and caught Harry's eye. He opened his mouth, but closed it again at the look Hermione was giving him, over Harry's shoulder. They finished breakfast in silence, each of them marveling at the unfairness of it all.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked silently to Hagrid's cabin for the Magical Creatures lesson. They stopped short at the sight of Malfoy's antics up ahead. He appeared to be doing a fair impression of someone being stunned and falling backward. Hermione and Ron each grabbed one of Harry's arms and steered him away before he had any chance to get at Malfoy. Harry was seething. When he was finally able to shake them off, he left. Hagrid had arrived, and looked as though he might call him back to class when he caught sight of Hermione shaking her head violently at him. He decided to hold class without him and ask Hermione about it later.  
  
As he mounted the stairs, Harry ran into the one person that he did NOT want to meet while he was obviously skipping class. Professor Snape's eyes rested on him only briefly before he continued on his way, not stopping even to take points from Gryffindor for Harry's infraction.  
  
Muriel finally came back downstairs that morning. Remus looked up at a very pale, very hungry woman coming into the kitchen. He noticed that she was wearing the Alexandrite ring on her right hand. Her eyes were red. She looked exhausted. "Alright, Mur?"  
  
She nodded wearily. "Alright." A few moments later she helped herself to anything she could find in the pantry. She wasn't planning to taste it anyway. They sat silently as she ate.  
  
"How've you been?" she asked finally, gulping down the second glass of water he'd gotten her. He summoned the pitcher and filled her glass again.  
  
"As well as can be expected," he said vaguely. She smirked at him, knowing better. But she could also tell that he didn't want to talk about it. Honestly, neither did she.  
  
"What about you?" he asked quickly. "You disappeared without a trace and no one would tell us anything. Sirius was - " he paused, then rephrased his thought. "Well, we were all really upset." He finished quietly.  
  
"Yes, I suppose I should explain that. Well, you know that I got a job as an Auror after only an extra year of studying. And you probably remember that Severus still wasn't speaking to me, and it wasn't just that, he was blocking me from reading him, too." Remus nodded in understanding as she continued. "I caught my first Death Eater about two months after the Potter's wedding. I hadn't even been working, I'd left the hospital - my aunt was very ill, then. I saw him follow a muggle down an alley. When he raised his wand, I stunned him. The muggle ran and I went to see whom it was. It was Severus." She stopped speaking, looking at the table.  
  
"Oh no," Remus said, quietly. He was shaking his head.  
  
"I let him go, Remus. My father saw the whole thing. I didn't even know that he ever visited my aunt, but he must have been heading to the hospital himself." She paused, then continued quickly. "You know how he was - people were already suspicious of him, he couldn't have the whole Ministry finding out that I'd let Severus go, so he did the only logical thing he could do." Her voice was bitter. "He sent me to America to round up anyone that Riddle had sent to try and recruit new Death Eaters. I left that night. I tried to come home when I heard about Sirius, but the Floo network was being watched. They wouldn't let me through. I didn't even find out about it all until months after it happened."  
  
They sat in silence for a while. When she got up to clean her dishes, Remus decided to risk another question.  
  
"How did it go in America? I've heard they were having a lot of trouble over there with Dark Wizards."  
  
She sat down again hard. "They were. I caught over two hundred. In the last fifteen years, I've killed 34 people, Remus. It's starting to get to me." She looked down at the table.  
  
"You told me Sunday night that you'd killed 32, Mur." Severus had come in and was leaning heavily against the doorframe. She looked up at Remus, glad that he didn't have a scowl on his face just because of Sev's presence. So many of her school friends always had.  
  
She looked Remus in the eye, answering without turning around. "As of Sunday night, that's how many I had killed." The silence in the kitchen was like a dense fog. It was suddenly very hard to breathe.  
  
Finally, Severus came and sat down beside her, putting a flask of potion in front of Remus. "Bellatrix and Wormtail," he said quietly. "How?" Remus looked extremely upset, much the way Mur would have pictured James if he'd been there.  
  
"I cast the Legilimens curse and told their minds to shut down. It's pathetically easy. I learned how several years ago." She kept her eyes on Remus. Severus would never judge her, he'd seen and done too much. But she didn't want Remus to misunderstand. It wasn't that she enjoyed killing, only that it had to be done.  
  
Remus' reply shocked both Muriel and Severus. "It was your right. But I was looking forward to it." His eyes narrowed. "It was a better death than they deserved."  
  
"That reminds me," Muriel said suddenly as Remus stood to go. He sat back down. Then she bellowed, "KREATURE" at the top of her lungs. Severus closed his eyes for a moment, knowing what was coming. The house elf appeared, muttering to himself as usual. Arthur and Molly Weasley and the twins came downstairs as well, surprised to hear anyone calling for the filthy being that never came out of his disgusting room. Fred and George grimaced at the sight of him as Muriel stood to face the foul thing.  
  
To everyone's surprise, the elf stopped muttering when he saw Muriel. He groveled pitifully instead. "Mistress! I was not knowing you had come home. I was not helping you to unpack. Kreature is very sorry. Kreature hopes you – "  
  
"Silence," she said quietly. There was no emotion in her voice. He fell silent instantly. "Do you recognize my position in this household as the intended of the last living member of the Black family?" she asked formally. Her voice was barely above a whisper. She knew Mrs. Black had left strict instructions with the elf about how she was to be treated. She'd overheard her telling him, during the month she'd spent there, even though she and Sirius hadn't been engaged then.  
  
"Yes, Mistress, of course, Mistress. You is Miss Deesia! Kreature will do whatever Mistress says." He bowed and scraped again, but no one felt any pity for him. Everyone had heard of the role he played in Sirius' death.  
  
"Then you will obey my final command." She paused, suddenly aware of her audience. She decided that she didn't care. If the Order couldn't stomach one dead house elf, she wasn't joining anyway. "Die."  
  
The elf stopped groveling and blinked up at her for a moment. "Yes, Mistress Deesia." A moment later he swooned to the floor. She almost turned from the sickening sight, but thought better of it.  
  
"Incendio," she whispered. She felt the shock of the Weasleys behind her as the figure burst into flame, but she didn't care. She turned to Remus. "Destroy the heads of his ancestors as well. I will send an elf from Papa's manor to take his place. Don't remove the ashes. I wish the elf to see what happens to traitors. Whichever one I bring will clean it up." Remus nodded mutely.  
  
Severus followed her out the front door, leaving Remus and the shocked Weasleys to decide for themselves what to think. 


	5. Chapter 4 Rebuilding a Life

**Chapter 4 - Rebuilding a Life**  
  
Severus walked half a step behind Muriel. It had been a hard thing to go to Deesia Manor. He hadn't realized that she didn't know Papa was gone. Now he kept a respectful distance, knowing she hated for anyone to see her crying. She had chosen her favorite house elf, Lupso, and sent him to Grimmauld Place with orders to take care of everyone who came through the door as if they were family.  
  
When they reached her quarters, Muriel almost went inside and closed the door. But four solid days of crying in solitude had been enough. What she needed was company. Even though it had been years since she could feel his emotions, Severus was still her first choice. She invited him in.  
  
Severus noticed immediately that the room was bare. Nothing covered the window or sat on the mantle. Her bed had only the sparsest coverings. He lit a fire. Without it, she would freeze in here tonight! Then he drew up two chairs, huge brown leather ones with pillows that clunked heavily to the floor. He smirked as he realized how much they resembled the chairs that had been in his father's study when they were young. He spared a thought to hope she wouldn't notice, and fell gracefully into one. It had been an exhausting day.  
  
She threw her jacket onto the bed. It was probably time to get some decent robes again. She'd been wearing muggle clothing when the Sorting Hat brought her home, and that was all she had. She watched him as he sat, noticing where he'd gotten the chairs immediately. It triggered a memory of a fight in the library.  
  
"It was an Occlumency book, wasn't it? That I burned in the library that day. It wasn't one of your father's dirty books at all." She felt very satisfied when he sat up smartly and turned to face her, his eyes wide. She imagined that he hadn't looked that wide-eyed since they were children.  
  
"Yes," he answered finally. He wondered if she would be angry about the Occlumency again, but decided she must not be, when she came and sat in the other chair, gazing into the fire. He was right. She wasn't angry about that.  
  
"Why didn't you give Harry any books to read before you started hexing him?" She turned to him sharply. "Did you expect him to just figure it out?"  
  
This conversation was not going well. Severus sighed and passed a hand over his eyes. He tried to come up with some way to put his rationale into words. Everything he tried sounded heartless and cruel. He gave up and remained silent. When he finally got up the nerve to look over at her, he saw that she had pulled her legs up onto the chair and was crying quietly into her knees.  
  
Wordlessly, he knelt in front of her chair and put a hand on her shoulder. A minute later she had thrown her arms around his neck. He pulled her into his lap and held her as she cried, rocking her. She'd spent a lot of time alone at Headquarters. He couldn't help but wonder if these tears were also for Black.  
  
In the end, he decided it didn't matter. They sat together, holding each other by the fire, long after her tears had stopped.  
  
Severus woke up abruptly to find that he was sitting on the floor, his back propped against a chair. Muriel was still asleep, her head in his lap. He looked around him again. Somehow in daylight the barren room looked even worse. He was thankful it was Saturday. Perhaps she would let him bring her old things from Deesia Manor.  
  
He stroked her hair absentmindedly and she awoke, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked sleepily.  
  
"Doesn't matter. It's Saturday." Muriel stood and looked sheepishly around the room.  
  
"Not exactly home," she said quietly. "Maybe we should go back to the house and see if Papa left any of my things."  
  
"They're all your things, now," he reminded her gently. After a week of not eating and the stress she'd been under, she looked very fragile to him. Just like the 9 year old girl who'd made herself ill worrying about him so long ago. He'd sworn to protect her from that, and he was failing miserably.  
  
She looked at him for a moment, then nodded. He was right. She could take whatever she wanted from that place. Then perhaps she'd sell it. She'd never live there again, anyway. He talked her into eating before they left.  
  
As they walked to Hogsmeade, the crisp autumn wind blowing her hair and making his cloak snap, he couldn't help but think back to all the times they'd made this trip as children. Things had been so different then, which was why he was startled when she took his hand.  
  
She smiled wanly at his surprised glance, but didn't let go. They apparated together to Deesia Manor. The house elves seemed just as excited to see her today as they had been yesterday. They had washed all her robes and even cooked a meal, in case she came home and wanted to eat. Muriel thanked them all, but went directly to her bedroom. She tried on her old robes. She'd never gotten very tall, so many of them still fit. She instructed the elves to get rid of the rest, and began packing her old trunk.  
  
"Sev? Can you go to the library and get all Papa's Occlumency books," she asked as she folded another robe. There was no more accusation in her voice, and he nodded. Half an hour later he came back with several large volumes. She placed them neatly into her trunk, and snapped it closed. "That's everything."  
  
As they walked back toward her quarters they were surprised to find two angry looking young men standing alone in the corridor. One had his wand raised, and one was brandishing a newspaper.  
  
"MR. MALFOY!" Mur exclaimed, just as Severus began with, "MR. POTTER!" Both boys turned with puzzled expressions on their faces as Mur turned to Severus. "Allow me," she said, her lips curving up into a smile. She turned back to the boys as Severus narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Draco, am I correct in assuming that you were about to hex Harry?" She fought back the smile and waited.  
  
"Yes, Professor." Something told him this would be a bad time to lie. Professor Snape looked furious.  
  
"And what exactly did he say to you to cause you to raise your wand?"  
  
Draco looked startled. He wasn't used to professors who actually cared WHY he was going to hex someone. "He asked me if I'd seen Lucius lately," he mumbled, looking back down at the floor. Professor Snape strode forward and took the newspaper roughly out of Harry's hand. He leaned against the nearest wall to read it, earning him odd looks from the boys, who had never seen a casual side to their feared Potions Master.  
  
"I see," Muriel said thoughtfully. "Harry, have you seen YOUR father lately?" she asked innocently. Sev's head snapped up from the paper and Harry's mouth fell open. He closed it again hurriedly and glared at her. She could hear what he was thinking. Gryffindors always thought their anger was so righteous.  
  
"Harry, why is it alright for you to taunt Draco about Lucius, when you obviously don't want me to taunt you about James?" When he, too, looked at the ground, she smiled a real smile. Severus was staring at her openly, finally understanding why she'd wanted to handle it.  
  
"Draco, I'd like you to apologize to Harry for trying to hex him." Draco looked up at his smiling professor as though she'd just told him to kiss Luna Lovegood.  
  
"What?" he sputtered. He had thought she understood! Then he mastered himself. "Malfoys do NOT apologize," he said coldly, looking at Harry.  
  
Severus stepped away from the wall, but Mur winked at him conspiratorially, and he decided that she had it under control. He bit his cheek to keep from grinning when she answered him.  
  
"Neither do Deesias. However, before I am a Deesia, I am Muriel." She turned to Harry. "And I'm sorry I taunted you about James. I hope that it served its purpose, however." Harry looked at the ground again and nodded. She had proven her point.  
  
Muriel and Severus were both looking expectantly at Draco. Severus could hardly believe it when the boy spoke. "I'm sorry I tried to hex you," he said quietly.  
  
Harry just looked at him like he'd grown cucumbers out of his ears. Muriel had to prompt him as well. "Harry? Don't you think you'd better apologize to Draco for teasing him about his father?"  
  
"Sorry, Malfoy," Harry said at once. He really wanted to get out of here. Why couldn't she just give them detention and let them go already?  
  
"That's not what I asked you to do, Harry," she said sharply. He looked up at her, wide-eyed. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Severus was fighting back laughter. It made him look rather constipated and she allowed herself a smile.  
  
"I asked you to apologize to DRACO." Harry repeated his apology correctly.  
  
"Thank you, Harry. You will serve detention in the Potions Dungeon with Professor Snape and me Monday evening. You may go." She watched as he shuffled down the hallway. At least she was sure she'd gotten through to him. When he'd rounded the corner, she waved her wand in the direction of the nearest house point counter. "30 points to Slytherin for apologizing to that insufferable prat," she said wearily. Draco smiled widely. "But you will also serve detention Monday night. Now get to bed." Draco noticed Professor Snape grinning behind her. GRINNING!  
  
As Draco made his way down to the dungeons, he decided that he really liked Professor Deesia. Oddly enough, Harry, trudging up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower, decided the same thing. She was, above all, fair. And he appreciated it in her just as he had in Professor McGonagal.  
  
"Lucius escaped Azkaban," Severus said as they entered her quarters again. "That must be what prompted their duel." She nodded as they began unpacking. Dealing with the boys had somehow tired her out. They reminded her so much of Severus and James.  
  
He watched her put away her robes as he filled the bookshelf by the wardrobe. She looked exhausted. As she went back to her trunk to begin filling drawers he felt a sharp pain in his arm, and clutched it, swearing softly.  
  
Muriel turned to look at him, fear settling on her face when she saw him holding his arm. He would have to go, and now. She felt the tears starting in her eyes.  
  
"I've got to – "  
  
"I know." She closed her eyes as he headed for the door. The pain in his arm was becoming steadily more insistent.  
  
"Mur, I – "  
  
"Be careful, Sev. Come home."  
  
Severus made his way to Hogsmeade, stringing swear words together like popcorn garland. EVERY TIME he thought he'd get a chance to talk to her, the mark would call him. Ever since he'd taken the damn thing during the Christmas Holiday of their 5th year. It was a timely reminder that he was in far too dangerous a predicament to be falling in love. How could he ask her to deal with this kind of fear?  
  
The only problem was that he had always been in love. And she was already afraid. He cleared his mind and disapparated as soon as he was off Hogwarts grounds. 


	6. Chapter 5 Tension

**Chapter 5 - Tension**  
  
The atmosphere was tense as the members of the Order of the Phoenix congregated in the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore explained the situation in a hushed voice. "After last night's excursion, Severus was not permitted to return. It appears that Lord Voldemort feels that the time has come for Severus to declare his loyalty openly. As you know, he has been working for several months now to bring us information about Voldemort's movements. Part of that work requires answering the call of the dark mark when he feels it. That is the only way to keep from arousing suspicion. He was, therefore, required to go last night, and was only able to report briefly to me, earlier this morning." No one spoke as Dumbledore paused to take a drink of the water Molly had brought to the table.  
  
"Although he has not been able to give me any details of what Voldemort's plan is, we do know that Severus' part will take place in the heart of London, which puts him in a very accessible location. The time frame was a bit sketchy, but it appears that Severus will have to be gone quite some time. We'll need to appear surprised by this, and it will have to take us a few weeks, I think, to come up with a new Potions master. Also, after he misses his first and second class today, I will be notifying the Ministry of Magic of his disappearance, so that they will join in the hunt. It will be important not to let the Minister jump to any conclusions." At this, Dumbledore looked over the top of his glasses at Arthur Weasley and Kingsley. "We do not want to appear as if we have ANY advance information. We will, however, need to be scouring London for any sign of what is happening. Even without details, we should be able to have someone on hand when the trouble begins."  
  
At this point, different sections of London and times were assigned to each member of the Order. It was decided that Moody would come to teach Potions, which made Muriel very nervous. Her father had worked with Moody. And she'd spent a great deal of her time in America studying painless ways to break through memory charms. She had tested those theories on herself and all her memories of her own interrogation had been revealed to her. Moody had been there, and he hadn't been very easy on her.  
  
Monday night, Muriel sat in Severus' chair in the Potions classroom, waiting for Harry and Draco. To her surprise, they came in together. Neither one spoke at first, and they took seats on opposite sides of the classroom. She got up and approached Harry first. "Have you finished the Occlumency books in the school library?" she asked wearily. He nodded, and she pushed at him a bit, trying to see if he and Draco had spoken in the hallway. She felt him push back, just a tad and smiled. "That's an improvement. Here are the books Papa leant to Severus when he was learning. I expect you to have them read by Christmas. Then we will begin." Harry nodded again and picked up the first book.  
  
Muriel smiled at Draco, who looked very grave, as she made her way back to the front of the room. She hadn't counted on handling the boys alone. The only reason she'd wanted to have the detention down here was so she could sit with Severus. And now he was gone. She folded her hands on the desk and rested her head on them, looking at the Occlumency book she'd opened on the desk. She had never needed to learn occlumency – a natural legilimens is a natural occlumens, after all, though her natural oclumency would never be able to block her emotions.  
  
But that wasn't why she was reading this book. She was only reading the little notes, written in Sev's handwriting in the margins. She wondered if Potter would recognize the handwriting when she finally gave him the book. She was startled when Draco coughed delicately in front of her. "Yes, Draco?"  
  
He looked guiltily back at Harry, who seemed to be very interested in his book. "Er – I had a letter this morning that I thought you'd want to see," he whispered, handing her an opened envelope. Muriel recognized the precise lettering immediately. She closed her eyes, grateful. Draco was already choosing the right path.  
  
"Thank you." Draco nodded and went back to his seat. She noticed with amusement that he took the top book off Harry's stack and sat down to read it. It couldn't hurt him to learn as well. Especially if Dumbledore expected, as Muriel believed he did, that Draco would make an excellent spy. When she was sure Harry wasn't going to retaliate for the stolen book, she carefully unfolded the letter.  
  
"My Son, I have been informed that you are to be included in the next adventure. It will occur over the Christmas Holidays. He is anxious that you should be involved. You are to pack all your things for this trip home. Do not leave anything behind. HoH sends his regards. He will also be joining us. He requests the following items be brought as well. Regards."  
  
A second sheet revealed a list of potions ingredients, and Muriel read through them, snorting. Draco and Harry looked up. Harry looked puzzled, Draco looked afraid. She winked at him, and he relaxed. Then she went to the storeroom and took the indicated items out, placing them on Draco's desk.  
  
"You aren't going to send him what he wants, are you?" Draco asked incredulously. Muriel met Harry's eyes. He looked worried. She could tell that he didn't trust Draco with the information she was about to give him. But then, Harry couldn't read the boy's thoughts, either.  
  
"I'm not going to send him YOU, but read this list again, Draco and tell me what you can make with these ingredients." She handed it back to him and waited. Finally he looked up.  
  
"The only thing he could make would be an aphrodisiac. It would just make them overconfident and – and dull witted, though they're that already." Draco was looking at her, still confused. She raised an eyebrow. Instantly he understood. He turned sharply to look at Potter, sure that he would already know. But the boy was looking at him with an inscrutable expression. Draco couldn't tell.  
  
"Harry is aware of it." Muriel said quietly. "And now that you are as well, I suggest you get back to that book. When you finish, give it back to him, and borrow another. I want you both to rival Professor Snape when it comes to being blocks of ice, is that understood?" The boys exchanged a glance and nodded mutely.  
  
It was less than a week later when she came upon a duel in the hallway again, this time it was Ron Weasley who had his wand in the air. Draco was holding one of her father's books, and Harry had a hand on Ron's arm.  
  
"Mr. Weasley?" she said, in her best impression of Severus. "Might I ask you why you are about to hex Draco?" She saw the young Malfoy smirking out of the corner of her eye as Ron turned to face her. All the boys were taller than she was, but only Draco looked at ease.  
  
"He called Hermione a mudblood again," Ron said savagely. Muriel looked around. Sure enough, Hermione Granger was standing behind Harry, looking petulant.  
  
Muriel smirked. "Miss Granger, are your parents, in fact, muggles?" she asked, making all the boys gape at her. Even Draco hadn't thought she'd insult Hermione. The girl only nodded. Muriel noted that Ron seemed far more upset than Hermione did. That answered that question.  
  
"I see. Miss Granger, are you not the most powerful witch in the 6th year class?" Hermione blinked at the short brunette stupidly. Gryffindor modesty, Mur supposed. She stifled a sigh. Why were Gryffindor boys so conceited when the girls were always so modest?  
  
"Perhaps you can answer for her, Mr. Weasley?"  
  
"Of course she is! She can do every spell we've ever learned!" he spat angrily.  
  
"And yet you do not feel that she is capable of defending herself against a little INSULT?" Mur asked scathingly. "30 points from Gryffindor for disrespecting Miss Granger, Weasley, and detention tomorrow night in my office." She waited as Ron sputtered, watching the look on Hermione's face change to discreet satisfaction. No one liked to be treated like a porcelain doll. When he finally fell silent, glaring at her angrily, she turned to Draco.  
  
"Care to explain why you insulted Hermione?" she asked calmly. Draco's smirk fell away abruptly.  
  
"I only say it to get a rise out of Weasley," he mumbled quietly.  
  
"So I gathered. 30 points from Slytherin for choosing your battles so poorly. If you want to duel Weasley that badly, then you may do so tomorrow night, during detention." Draco nodded. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, you are dismissed." For a moment she thought Ron might protest, but Harry pulled him away insistently. He knew she was about to make Draco apologize, and Harry for one, thought it was long overdue. He wasn't about to let Ron's temper keep it from happening.  
  
Muriel turned back to Hermione and Draco, both of whom were looking anywhere but at each other. She waited. When Draco finally looked up at her, she raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I'm sorry I called you a mudblood," he said grudgingly, looking at the girl in front of him. "If you'll promise not to call me a ferret anymore, I'll come up with a better way to get at Weasley." Muriel smiled behind her hand. That was by far the best compromise she had ever heard from a Malfoy. It was, perhaps, the ONLY compromise she'd ever heard from a Malfoy. She headed to lunch quietly. They could work it out, now. Hermione was a good deal more level headed than the Gryffindor boys would ever be.  
  
Muriel shared Draco's letter with the Order a few days later. It relieved the tension a great deal to know, within a few days span of time, when the event would take place.  
  
Professor Snape finally managed to contact them only 3 days before the Christmas Holiday. Lord Voldemort, tired of operating covertly to attract followers, was planning to abduct several people in key positions, most notably, Percy Weasley. Percy was still being hard headed about returning to the family. Although it had been proven to him that his parents had been correct, he was still refusing to have anything to do with them. According to Snape, the targets in question, over twenty young witches and wizards in all, were to be rounded up on Christmas Eve. Professor Dumbledore sat again at the head of the kitchen table in Headquarters, recounting everything Snape had reported to the rest of The Order.  
  
It was decided that the school would have to be emptied for Christmas to allow the professors free movement. Professor McGonagal hurried off to see to this as they continued to come up with a way to protect Percy and the others. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley immediately sent an owl to Percy, inviting him to spend Christmas at the Burrow, but without much hope. He hadn't answered their last 2 owls at all.  
  
Muriel had taken special care to write to Narcissa informing her that Draco would not be able to come home for the holiday, because he had already agreed to help her catalogue and sort the various dark arts objects that Quirrel and Crouch had left in the school's possession. She told Narcissa that Draco was certainly the only student who could help her with this, and she was sorry to impose but she had asked him before Lucius' letter had arrived. She made sure to sign her name legibly. Lucius and Narcissa were NOT going to be happy to find out that she was teaching their son.  
  
She shuddered as she sat beside Remus, listening to Dumbledore and the others argue. She wondered if she ought to mention the hurried conversation she'd had with Severus the night before.  
  
Alone in her quarters, she had cast the Legilimens curse. There had been little time. The only information she got was that he was at the Malfoys', which she already knew, and that he was nervous. It wasn't encouraging to find that Severus Snape was nervous. She decided not to tell the rest of the Order. She would catch Dumbledore later and let him know. 


	7. Chapter 6 Thwarting The Dark Lord Again

**Chapter 6 - Thwarting the Dark Lord Again**  
  
The next two days passed in a rush of planning. Members of the Order followed the 27 young witches and wizards whose names Snape had provided. Fred and George were covering Percy. Mrs. Weasley had fought this bitterly, of course, but in the end it was decided that, as they were the only members of the family to whom he was speaking, they would serve him best.  
  
Professor McGonagal had arranged for most of the students to return home, or to a friend's house, which brought Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to Grimmauld place.  
  
Christmas Eve arrived. Hogwarts was left with Madam Pomfrey, Madam Hooch, and Professor Flitwick, who presided over dinner, and sent the few remaining students to bed as early as possible. Dumbledore had listened patiently to Muriel when she'd explained her worry for Severus. It was decided that she and Remus would make an effort to capture him. Each witch and wizard was instructed that if Severus should appear at their location, one of them should apparate back to Headquarters.  
  
Mrs. Weasley paced the kitchen, alternately making tea and conjuring snacks to pass the time. She'd long since sent Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to bed, not that anyone thought they were sleeping. Muriel and Remus sat in uneasy silence at the table, watching Molly. They were the only members of the Order not out watching over Voldemort's intended victims. Remus had taken Mur's hand. She was shaking. "I can't lose him, too, Remus," she whispered, not looking at her friend. He didn't answer. In the last two months she had come to Headquarters nearly every evening just to sit quietly with him by the fire. He could tell that she was desperately worried.  
  
George and Fred appeared suddenly in front of them, supporting a very pale Percy Weasley. As Mrs. Weasley helped George take Percy upstairs, Fred sank into a chair at the table. "Avery hit him with the stunning spell before we could get there," he began. The glass in Mur's hand shattered when he spoke the death eater's name, and he looked at her oddly before continuing. "We had to bring him home like that. I hated to do it, because I knew it would upset mum. No sign of Professor Snape, though." Muriel got up to get another glass of water and nearly bumped into Tonks, who'd arrived alone, looking frazzled.  
  
"Come on, you two, let's go." That was all she said before disappearing again. It took Muriel a moment to remember where Tonks had been stationed, then she, too, disappeared. Fred turned back to Remus, but found that he was also gone, so instead he headed upstairs to help Mrs. Weasley and George bring Percy around.  
  
Tonks had been stationed with Arthur, following a young man named Lonsberry. He held the job that Percy had first had in the Ministry of Magic. When they arrived, Remus could see that Lonsberry was dueling with Severus not far from the visitor entrance to St. Mungos. Muriel and Remus rushed to join them, and Tonks looked around for Mr. Weasley. She found him, bound and being transported by Macnair down an alley a block away. "Finite Incantum," she screamed, flicking her wand at Mr. Weasley, whose bonds disappeared as he fell heavily to the ground. Macnair hissed angrily as he raised his wand to meet Tonks, who'd already set her second spell loose. Macnair was just a moment too late to block it, and his wand flew out of his hand. Mr. Weasley had just stood up to face him when Macnair disappeared.  
  
Mr. Weasley and Tonks ran back toward Muriel and Severus in time to see Muriel cast a stunning spell, which Severus deftly deflected in the direction of Lonsberry. Not expecting the attack, he fell, unconscious. Tonks and Arthur reached Lonsberry and brought out a port key to take them back to Grimmauld Place. In a moment they were gone.  
  
Severus looked around anxiously as Remus walked behind him, chanting an anti-apparation spell loudly. He heard Muriel doing the same, and swore. A moment later, she petrified him and stood, smirking over him. "You honestly think you can make a fool out of me and get away with it?" she said angrily. She kicked him, hard, as Remus did his best not to stare. "I TRUSTED YOU, BUT YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN PAPA WAS!" She acted as though she was going to kick him again, but decided against it. "Coward!" she spat. "Serving that filthy upstart mud blood! Get him out of my sight, Remus," she said angrily. Her foot was killing her. You can't hurt a petrified person by kicking him, but you can definitely hurt yourself.  
  
She looked around angrily after they disappeared. There was no one nearby, and she couldn't hear anything. She hoped they'd put on a good enough show, so his cover wasn't blown. Dumbledore had been most insistent about that. Finally, satisfied that she wasn't going to catch any Death Eaters tonight, she disapparated back to Grimmauld place.  
  
Headquarters was fast filling up with injured witches and wizards. Several had already made their way to Hogwarts, and the rest were getting ready to go. She looked around for Remus, but Tonks told her he'd already been sent out to help someone else. "I think Snape is upstairs, though," Tonks said wisely. She had been only a 1st year student when Muriel and Severus had that awful row in Hogsmeade, but the third years had come back that day full of stories. People had gossiped about it the next year as well.  
  
"Thanks, Tonks," Mur said quietly, mounting the stairs. Remus had taken Sev to his own room and left him on the bed. He was just beginning to move when she came in.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked quietly, sitting on the bed. His hair was in his eyes, and she reached to push it away, knowing he couldn't. He hissed at her, causing her to raise an eyebrow. She pushed it away anyway, smiling sadly.  
  
"Couldn't blow your cover, you know." She noticed his fingers moving, and took his hand. He managed to narrow his eyes. She knew he would pull his hand away the moment he was able.  
  
Severus looked up at her, unable to glower at her the way she deserved. She had managed to say the one thing that would hurt him most. She was disappointed in him, just like she'd been disappointed in Papa. More than anything he wanted to be back in his quarters at Hogwarts, alone, and with several impressive locking charms on his door.  
  
"I can't tell what you're thinking. You'll have to put it into words if you want me to know," she said sadly, pushing at his hair again. She knew he ought to be able to talk by now, but he just lay there, looking up at her with his cold eyes. She waited, and finally he sat up, grimacing. He didn't want to have this discussion right now.  
  
"I need to get back to Malfoy Manor. Macnair is going to take a lot of heat for losing our quarry and letting me get captured."  
  
"Macnair? Him too?" Muriel said, distracted. Severus nodded, and stood up abruptly. A moment later, they were both gone.  
  
He was glowering angrily at her when she appeared beside him. Muriel only smirked and performed an illusion charm on him, to make him appear to have been badly injured. He found as he strode into the manor, that he was limping. He also noticed that he suddenly appeared to be alone. Shaking his head, he made his way upstairs, following the sound of his one-time dorm mate's screams.  
  
Muriel found Lucius drinking heavily in the downstairs parlor. She stunned him, broke his wand, and took him to the ministry. She left him bound on the floor for the Aurors to find, smiling humorlessly to herself. He probably wouldn't be held long anyway, and she had to be sure no one showed up and let him free. Maybe he'd forgive her for it later.  
  
When she returned to Malfoy Manor she didn't bother with her invisibility spell. She had heard that Riddle could see through them anyway. Macnair's screams had stopped, and the house seemed to be awaiting her. She was pretty sure that was a bad sign. Perhaps rescuing Macnair by themselves had not been the wisest course of action? If only Sirius was with them – she didn't allow herself to finish that thought. She hadn't seen Sirius in over 15 years. She wasn't going to mourn anymore, and she sure wasn't going to lose this fight because she was distracted.  
  
When she reached the top of the stairs, wand raised, only one door had light underneath. She bypassed it. As a child she had played hide-and- seek in these rooms, and she knew there was a better way into the spider web than the way Riddle had provided for her.  
  
She mouthed a silencing charm on the bathroom door before she pushed it open. Light streamed into the room, and she took in the scene. Riddle was waiting tensely, his wand already in the air. Severus stood beside him, his eyes downcast. Macnair was coughing, and Mur could see blood on the floor in front of him. Riddle was staring at the partially opened door, his back to her. She smirked. "Accio wands," she said forcefully. All three of their wands flew into her hand.  
  
"Well, well, well," Riddle said, turning. "The blood traitor returns to the fold."  
  
"Hardly." She kept her tone mild. She knew she couldn't kill him, but he couldn't do much without his wand, now could he? Putting the others' wands in her teeth she deftly snapped his in half and pulled out a mangled phoenix feather. She watched his foul red eyes widen in anger. The broken wood clattered on the tile floor beneath them as Muriel smiled. She raised all three of the remaining wands and pointed them at the feather. "Incendio," she whispered. Before anyone could blink, the phoenix feather was reduced to ashes, falling on the wand fragments below.  
  
"You're outmatched, Riddle," she said quietly. "The Prophesy says I can't kill you. It doesn't say I can't hand you over to the one who can with a big purple ribbon around your ass."  
  
Severus hid his shock well. Muriel had just destroyed the wand of one of the most powerful wizards the world had ever seen. The import of this was obviously not wasted on Lord Voldemort, who hardly spared a moment to sneer at her before he disapparated.  
  
Muriel apparated to Hogsmeade, followed by Severus, who was carrying a very weak Macnair. They levitated him up to the hospital wing, which was in the worst state of disarray that anyone had ever seen it. 


	8. Chapter 7 Breaking And Entering

_I suppose there's no point in asking where everyone went? FF.NET appears to have slowed to a crawl - very few people updating or reviewing all the sudden. Are we all too taken up with the third movie and the announcement of the 6th's book's title, maybe? Ah, well, at least it isn't Sorting Things Out that's being ignored, as that would be upsetting. This one is just a "what if," and you won't need to know what happens in it to understand my next fic. I just thought it would be fun. So without further ado, here comes Chapter 7 - a huge deviation from STO:_

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Breaking and Entering**  
  
Muriel sat with Macnair while Severus went to look for Draco. He found him in the library, reading another letter from his father.  
  
"Draco? The rest of the Order is congregating in the hospital ward. Would you like to join us?" The blond boy looked up, startled.  
  
"He knows." Severus looked at him warily, and Draco explained. "He knows I showed the letter to Professor Deesia. I don't know how, but he does." Figuring he had nothing more to lose, Draco held up the parchment in front of him with a shaking hand.  
  
Severus felt the anger boiling in him as he read. When he looked up, he could see that Draco's usually calm demeanor had dissolved. The boy looked, as Moaning Myrtle would say, 'distraught.'  
  
"Come with me," Severus said crisply, turning to go. He heard the boy's chair against the floor and knew he'd been obeyed. He didn't bother to look at him again until they reached the ward. He looked a little calmer. Professor Deesia was in the corner, sitting on Macnair's bed. Severus led Draco toward her.  
  
"Don't kill him, Mur," they heard Macnair rasp forcefully.  
  
"Shhh, don't try to talk. Poppy says you're going to be alright." Muriel sounded very worried, and Severus held back outside the curtains that were pulled partially around the bed. It wasn't like Muriel to sugar coat anything, but if Macnair was dying she might.  
  
"You can't kill him for taking the mark," her old friend tried again, determined that she hear him. "He loves you, Mur," he whispered.  
  
"I know," she whispered soothingly, pressing a cool towel to his forehead. He looked so frail as he closed his eyes. Who knows how long he was under that curse? Perhaps he was raving. She looked up to see Severus and Draco standing beside the curtain, and decided that no, he probably wasn't raving at all. Severus looked absolutely horrified.  
  
She smiled wanly and held out a hand. "Poppy says he'll be alright if we can keep him away from the ministry." Severus hesitated before he took her hand and looked down at Macnair, wondering if she could feel his pulse beating against his fingertips.  
  
"If he'd seen you there, he would have come with us. This never would have happened." He'd been trying to find out about Macnair's loyalties for over a year. But the fear of Voldemort had kept anyone from openly asking questions, even of their most trusted friends. Macnair had refused to acknowledge any of his hints. At least with Muriel here, able to see what he thought, they knew he was ready to change sides.  
  
Professor Snape looked up suddenly at Draco. "If there's anyone in your house that you care about, Draco, you need to convince them not to take the mark. Or one day, you will stand here and look at one of your friends after the Dark Lord tortures him and wish you had done more."  
  
Draco nodded grimly, looking rather nauseous as Macnair began coughing up blood again. Muriel held his head over a tray, her face a mask of fury.  
  
Professor Snape swept out of the chaotic ward, passing Professor Dumbledore and Harry Potter on the way. He nodded to them as he made his way to his own quarters, wondering whether he was going to be ill. It had been a long time since he'd allowed himself to feel guilt so strongly. But it had been his fault Macnair took the mark. If Severus hadn't caved, Macnair would have joined the Order and fought the Dark Lord beside him. It was almost more than he could stand to think about.  
  
Draco followed him to the door and nearly ran into Harry. The boy didn't say anything, but Draco stopped anyway. A single beat fell before they nodded to one another, and Draco continued into the hallway, confused, but not quite so queasy.  
  
When Macnair was finally sleeping peacefully, Muriel set his hand gently on the bed and looked around for Severus. The noise level in the ward had fallen off, but her head was pounding. She wondered if he was still upset about what she'd said earlier.  
  
His quarters were sealed shut with every locking charm Draco had ever heard of and then some. Muriel came upon a very dejected Draco, sitting outside his Head of House's door with his head in his hands. Snape had taken him to the hospital ward to hear about his father, but he hadn't gotten any answers. Mur could feel his frustration, and quickly told him that she'd taken his father to the Ministry of Magic.  
  
"If they put him in Azkaban, there's a good chance he'll just break out again. If he or Narcissa send you any more letters, I'd like to see them."  
  
"Of course," he croaked out. "When can I join the Order?" Muriel smiled, then, feeling as though her face might crack with the strain. It had really been a long day. She looked forward to telling Macnair that his predicament had helped save the Malfoy boy. That would really mean something to him.  
  
"You already have."  
  
Draco looked up at her and she smiled a little wider. "You tried everything on that?" she asked, pointing over his head at the door. He nodded. "Best get out of the way, then."  
  
He scrambled to his feet. "Off you go," she said kindly, nodding back toward the hospital wing. Draco was on his way back up the stairs when he heard an impressive explosion and a few choice words from below him. He was still shaking his head when he pushed open the hospital ward door.  
  
"Bloody Hell, Mur!" Severus exclaimed, shielding his eyes from the wood chips that flew into his quarters. A moment later she had repaired the door and was standing inside, grinning at him. 


	9. Chapter 8 Repairing and Renewing

**Chapter 8 - Repairing and Renewing**  
  
"You look like hell," Mur said, still smiling. She loved a good excuse to destroy something, even if it was only a door that could be fixed.  
  
"You spend 2 months with Malfoy and see how you look!" Severus snapped.  
  
Muriel shook her head and lifted her wand, still smiling. "Finite Incantum," she whispered. The spell hit him, and the illusion she'd placed on him at Malfoy Manor disappeared.  
  
"That's why Draco was looking at me funny," he mumbled. He jumped up from the chair by the fireplace and went to stand by the window. He'd entirely forgotten about the illusion. It was very late and the stars were twinkling in a perfectly clear sky, but he didn't notice. All he saw was red.  
  
"Sev, don't," she said quietly, following him.  
  
He spun sharply, startling her. "Don't WHAT? Don't be hurt to find out that I've disappointed the last person alive whose opinion matters to me?" he hissed angrily. His jaw was set and his eyes flashed, but Mur wasn't sure if that was anger, or the beginnings of tears. She had never seen Severus cry, not even under the Crutiatus curse in their 6th year.  
  
She chose her words very carefully as he glared at her, waiting. "If you had been nothing more than you appeared to be tonight, I would have been very disappointed in you. But you aren't. You're more than that. You're better than that. You always have been."  
  
"Not always," he whispered, a haunted look in his eyes as he turned back to the window.  
  
"When Papa took the mark, I didn't stop loving him. Even if you hadn't changed your mind and joined the Order, I would still love you." She paused as he turned around to look at her again. He could hardly help himself. Had she really just said that she loved him? "If you'd shown me nothing at all in the alley that night, I would still have let you go. I never stopped loving you, Sev." The room was silent except for their breathing. He stared at her for a long moment.  
  
Finally he spoke again. "Perhaps you can explain how I managed to lose you to Black, if you still loved me so much." His voice was quiet and she recognized the danger in it. Severus was all cold fury, deceptively gentle. He had always been.  
  
She sat down on the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest, gathering her courage. He needed to understand. "I was hurt – "  
  
"YOU were hurt?!" It sounded like he had a lot more to say, but Muriel didn't appreciate being cut off.  
  
"YES, SEVERUS, I WAS HURT! SILENCIO!" she hollered over the beginnings of his rage. He fell silent abruptly as she lowered her wand, staring at her. His lips were pressed into a thin line and he turned sharply back around to face the window.  
  
"Imagine yourself in the Slytherin common room. Its 4 AM and the fire has died to almost nothing. The stones are sucking the heat out of the air. You sit down in one of those leather chairs you like so well, and shiver in the cold. Then someone wraps you in a warm fleece blanket. It only takes you a minute to realize that it's better and warmer than your bed, and you fall asleep again. The next night you get up a little earlier, and go down to the common room to sit under the blanket, and still earlier the next night. After fourteen years, you don't want to be anywhere else at all, except wrapped in that blanket."  
  
She looked up at him. His back was still facing her. He had crossed his arms and his shoulders were rigid. "Then one day, you go to the common room and sit in your chair. But he only looks at you. There is no blanket. So you ask him about it. But he doesn't answer. You do everything short of BEG him for that blanket, but he acts like he doesn't understand. In the end, you go back to your room shivering, thinking that maybe the blanket just doesn't exist anymore."  
  
Muriel could feel the tears running down her face as Severus finally turned back toward her, his eyes wearing the same haunted expression she'd seen earlier. "That's how a Legilimens feels when the man she loves learns Occlumency, Sev," she whispered, lowering her head onto her knees to hide her tears.  
  
Severus stared at Muriel as she cried. He wanted to hold her, comfort her as he had always done. She'd said she still loved him. But there was something else he needed to know. He knelt beside the bed and waited. When her breathing evened out, he took a deep breath himself.  
  
"If you needed to feel that, what difference would it have made if I'd kissed you two years earlier? I'd already taken the mark. I could never have opened my mind to you again, not safely." He paused, then added in an agonized whisper, "I still can't." That was the horrible truth. As a spy, his mind had to be completely secure. He couldn't give her back that blanket. It would open him up to the Dark Lord's scrutiny, and the Order couldn't afford that.  
  
She didn't raise her head, and her voice was muffled as she answered. "Didn't you feel it, Sev? That night, when you kissed me, I could feel everything you felt. I could feel your need, y-your love. It was all still there, as long as your lips were on mine. If I had known, before Sirius, that there was any way to feel that from you again, even if it was only when you kissed me, I could never have fallen in love with him."  
  
She looked up, her eyes filled with pain. "But by then it was too late. The choice was made, Severus. I couldn't come back to you and pretend I didn't love him anymore. But no matter how much he and I loved each other, I always missed you. He knew that."  
  
There was a knock on the door and they both stood quickly, Muriel facing the fire. It was bad enough that Severus had seen her crying, no one else was going to. She heard Draco calling from the doorway.  
  
"Professor Snape? Madam Pomfrey wants you to – "Draco stopped talking when Severus came to the door. The illusion had been removed, and it was obvious that he hadn't been hurt after all.  
  
"It was nothing more than an illusion for your father's benefit, Draco. Tell Madam Pomfrey that I am fine," Severus said stiffly. Draco threw a glance at Muriel, who appeared to be very interested in the fire.  
  
"Right," Draco said, backing out of the room. As soon as the door was closed, Severus placed a locking charm on it. He crossed the room in four long strides, and turned Muriel around by the shoulders.  
  
She looked up at him. Her tears were gone, but he could see her lips quivering. She wanted –  
  
He kissed her then, as forcefully as he had all those years ago. He could feel the wetness of her face against his, taste the salt of her tears. She was crying again, but not with pain or hurt. It didn't matter anymore who else she had loved. It didn't matter that they had been apart for 15 years. All that mattered was that his lips never leave hers again.  
  
Muriel was flooded with emotion when their lips met. Stronger, more urgent than she remembered. She held him as tightly as she could, trying to make up for the years when she hadn't been able to hold him at all. She could spend the rest of her life this way, his hands clutching her waist and his lips pulling insistently at hers. It was what she had spent her childhood dreaming of. She trembled as she felt him leading her forward.

AN: Short hiatus (5 days) while I am out of town. Yes, the next chapter is the fun one. Sorry to keep you waiting. Thanks for hanging around.


	10. Chapter 9 Life Decisions

**Chapter 9 - Life Decisions  
**  
"Are you sure?" Severus lay close beside her, his eyes fixed on her swollen lips and flushed cheeks. He reached out a hand to feel the heat of her face. As he watched, her lips curled into a smile that wasn't exactly innocent. It wasn't exactly shy.  
  
With a flick of her wrist she transfigured her robes into a short nightdress. He laughed. Slytherin green with blue lace. Perfect. He only had a moment to admire it before his own robes were gone, and with it his smile. He pulled his hand back abruptly, not willing to let her see the mark on his arm. He remembered all too well the look of horror she'd worn the only time she had seen the dark mark on his skin.  
  
"You can't protect me from the darkness, Sev," she said quietly, bringing his hand back to her cheek. She didn't close her eyes and she didn't wince at the sight of the mark, so near her face. But Severus did. "It's as much a part of me as it is of you."  
  
She brought her lips to his and he couldn't resist. How long had he waited to hold her like this? His hands found the places that made her gasp as his lips explored her breasts. He ran his fingers through her hair, cradling her head in both hands. He smiled as her eyes fluttered closed and a low moan escaped her. That's when the pain started.  
  
Mur opened her eyes. Something was wrong. She saw Severus grimace and knew what it must be. She clapped her hand over the mark. Severus felt the pain lessen and saw her forehead crease.  
  
But her eyes were open, and she smiled at him. "Don't stop," she whispered. Like so many things in their lives, they took their pleasure through the pain. When it ceased abruptly they both gasped, first in relief, and then again as the pleasure swept through them like liquid heat. An instant later, Severus fell on her heavily and she laughed.  
  
"You're a good bit bigger than I am, Sev," she whispered laughingly, pushing him over. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on top of him as he rolled.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked seriously, looking up into her eyes. She kissed him in response, and he was surprised at the passion she still held. When she was finally snuggling against him, ready to fall asleep, it occurred to him to take the precautions Macnair had made him learn so long ago. He reached for his wand.  
  
"Don't," she said softly. He hesitated, then put the wand back.  
  
"Don't?"  
  
"Don't cast that charm."  
  
He knew she couldn't hear his thoughts, and wondered how she knew which charm he'd been planning to cast. He only wondered for a moment though before an entirely new emotion took over his mind. She didn't want him to cast the charm!  
  
He stared at her for a moment, then rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. If she didn't want him to cast the charm, then –  
  
"Don't be upset," she whispered.  
  
"Upset? Why would I be upset? Do you mean it?" He sputtered.  
  
She snuggled up to him again, smiling. He turned his head away as a single tear slid from his eye. He pulled her closer and watched her fall asleep before he began planning what he knew he had to do tomorrow. 


	11. Chapter 10 A Different Answer

**Chapter 10 - A Different Answer**  
  
Muriel yawned and shifted a little in bed. Severus, anxiously pacing the room, noticed and flicked his wand at her again. She immediately stopped moving. "Hurry the hell up, Macnair," Severus muttered for the twelfth time that morning. At last his friend shuffled into the room.  
  
"What's all that?" Severus asked, pointing to the box Macnair was carrying.  
  
"It wasn't where you thought it was, I had to cast a summoning charm. We'll have to go through them all."  
  
Severus scowled, but pulled out a chair for his friend and plopped himself down at the table to begin sorting through the box.  
  
"What did you say it looked like again?" Macnair's voice was still raspy from screaming, but he kept it low, not wanting to wake Muriel. He could hardly believe she'd slept this whole time. It had taken him nearly half an hour to get to Snape Manor and back!  
  
"It's a triangular aquamarine stone held by three silver serpents," Severus said distractedly. Macnair looked up. He had always known that his one- time dorm mate would ask Mur to marry him, most of Slytherin house had accepted it as fact in their first year of school. He smiled at the look of concentration on Severus' face as he looked at one ring after another. Still, it made him sad somehow. His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed the movement behind his friend.  
  
"Sev," he hissed. But it was too late.  
  
"Accio wands," Muriel whispered, her head at Severus' ear. She didn't bother to catch the wands, preferring instead to turn Sev's chair to face her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Macnair's eyes widen. In the satin nightgown she'd conjured the night before she wasn't exactly dressed for company. Oh well. They'd been friends a long time. "Three stunning spells in one morning isn't good for a 30-something year old, Sev. I'm sore all over!"  
  
"You're only 35, and I'm relatively sure that you aren't sore because of stunning spells," he replied, smirking. Macnair winced, expecting her to slap him. Instead she laughed and bent down to pick up their wands. Macnair was careful to avert his eyes, though he noticed that Severus did no such thing. He couldn't help but chuckle.  
  
"Now why are we looking for your Great Aunt Agnes' ring?"  
  
Severus glanced at Macnair, who coughed abruptly into his hand to stifle his laughter, then excused himself quickly. Muriel took his chair as the door clicked closed behind him.  
  
He turned his attention back to the rings. He didn't want to answer her until he had the blasted thing in his hand. She watched him, a slow smile spreading across her face. As if it weren't obvious what he was doing.  
  
"Accio Aquamarine," she said finally. His head snapped up faster than the 5 glittering jewels that shot toward her. She managed to catch three of them, but he snatched the other two from the floor before she could reach them.  
  
"HA!" he exclaimed, setting one down on the table and raising the other to his eyes.  
  
"You act like you got the last chocolate frog," Mur said, smiling.  
  
"I always got the last chocolate frog," he replied seriously.  
  
"That's because I always saved it for you, you great git. Now what are you up to?" She smiled up at him from her chair as he stood before her, ring in hand.  
  
Severus swallowed hard. Now that it had come to the point, he really didn't know how to go about this. She stood. Her eyes flicked to the doorway briefly, and Severus wondered if she was thinking of leaving. Then her eyes met his again, and he realized he still hadn't said anything.  
  
"Well - er - I wanted to give you this for Christmas," he said lamely.  
  
Muriel fought back her laughter. If he thought he was getting off that easy after all the fights they'd had over getting married when they were young, he'd better think again.  
  
"I can't believe Aunt Agnes left that to your father. I thought she hated him!"  
  
"She didn't leave it to him. She gave it to me three days before she died." His voice was normal again. This was familiar territory. "She said it was for you, when I got up the nerve to – "he stopped, and Muriel grinned at him.  
  
"After all the arguments we had over this, Severus, I think I deserve to hear the words," she said with mock severity. He still looked hopelessly tongue tied, so she stepped closer. "If I promise to say yes this time, will you ask me?" she whispered. Her voice was suddenly shy and made a startling contrast with the green and blue nightdress she wore.  
  
It was the most endearing thing he'd ever heard. He snaked an arm around her waist and kissed her again, needing to feel the warmth of her love inside his mind's defenses. "Will you - " he started to ask, his lips still close to hers.  
  
"Yes," she whispered quickly, pulling his mouth back to her own as her eyes filled with tears.  
  
Neither of them noticed the sound of footsteps hurrying away from their door, nor the giggles that erupted moments later as three boys who had no business in the teacher's corridor headed toward the Gryffindor common room. 


	12. Chapter 11 Preparations

**Chapter 11 - Preparations**

Draco was glad, now, that he'd gone to get Harry and Ron. No one would have believed him if he'd just told them that Snape and Deesia were engaged. It was funny how things had worked out, really. Learning Occlumency with Harry had given him a lot of insight into his rival's mind. It was disconcerting to realize that Harry honestly had no use for his fame.

Harry, likewise, had learned just what Draco dealt with from Lucius. The truce had been pretty shaky at first, but this latest piece of news was certain to bring them together.

"I can't believe anyone would want to KISS that greasy git!" Ron said savagely, through his laughter. Harry and Draco each smacked him on an arm.

"He really hasn't been that bad this year. Of course, he's been gone most of the time –" Harry didn't exactly LIKE their Potions Master, but he had to admit something was different about him.

"You're right, he's not that bad when he's gone," Ron interjected spiritedly.

"He's actually really nice. He always took care of me when father – " Draco left off suddenly. He didn't have any secrets from Harry, and now that Ron had stopped calling him Malfoy, he was getting along pretty well with him, too. But Hermione had just come around the corner looking for them, and she looked rather annoyed to find them all laughing here together.

Since he had apologized to her, and they'd agreed not to call each other ferret boy or mudblood anymore, they'd been getting along much better. She'd even stopped calling him Malfoy, which made life a lot easier on everyone.

"Professor McGonagall suggested that we all stay in Gryffindor Tower today, since the Slytherins probably know by now that you showed your father's letter to Professor Deesia," she said matter-of-factly. Draco paled, and Harry and Ron stopped smiling at once. He hadn't thought about that. He'd spent last night in the hospital ward because Tonks had accidentally tripped him, then landed on top of him, breaking his wrist and bruising his chin nicely. He nodded, then exchanged glances with Ron and Harry before following her up the stairs.

Muriel spoke the transfiguration spell rather breathlessly and Severus was chagrined to see that she was dressed once again in her robes. But she had a mischievous look in her eye as she headed toward the door. "Where are you going? You know I can't leave here. I'm supposed to be a captive."

"I'll be back," she said, grinning. He shook his head as the door closed behind her and threw himself back on the bed. What was she up to now?

Mur made her way to the Headmaster's office and he quickly agreed to donate 4 hours of his day to her needs. Then she asked to use his fire.

She threw the floo powder in, "12 Grimmauld Place," she said quickly, sticking her head into the fire. The first thing she saw was a very startled Remus Lupin, who had obviously been sleeping in the armchair by the fire.

"Happy Christmas, Remus!" she said, trying not to laugh at the crescent moon covered pajama pants that were his only covering. His hair stuck up wildly and she was reminded forcibly of James, and Harry too, for that matter.

"Happy Christmas, Mur," he said quietly. "What are you up to?"

She winked at him. "Planning a small party. Is Lupso around?" Remus called for the house elf, who appeared instantly before the fire. Mur didn't wait to be asked.

"Lupso, I need you to go back to Deesia Manor. You have 2 hours to recreate the pavilion out on the lake. Can you do it?" The aging elf looked shocked.

"Of course, Mistress." It sounded like he was going to say more, but Muriel cut him off.

"Good. Get Severus' elves to help too. And take the charm off his house so he can go back in there. His father put wards around the house to keep him out!"

"Yes, Mistress, Lupso saw Mr. Snape putting on wards. Nasty ones they was, too! To bring down whole house!" Lupso shuddered. Mur cast a look up at Remus, who looked very confused.

"Be at Deesia Manor at noon, Remus. I need your autograph." A moment later she was gone, and Lupso disappeared soon after. Remus threw himself heavily back into the chair, chilled in spite of the fire. It was a hard thing to sit in his best friend's house alone on Christmas Day. But he didn't feel much like going to a party, either. He closed his eyes and conjured a blanket.

He'd almost made it back to sleep when another head appeared in the fire and called out a laughing, "Happy Christmas, Professor Lupin!"

"Harry?" He was surprised by the grin on his young friend's face. He wondered how long it had been since his own face had looked like that. A long time, he supposed.

"You aren't going to believe this, but Professor Snape and Professor Deesia are engaged!" Harry was laughing as though this was the funniest thing in the world. But then, no one had ever told him that Muriel had once been engaged to Sirius. Remus managed a weak smile.

"That's great!" he said, as enthusiastically as he could. But Harry was too observant to let that slide.

"Professor? Why don't you come and spend Christmas with us in Gryffindor Tower?" he asked hopefully. Harry could guess why Remus was so despondent, and didn't want his parents' and Sirius' best friend to be alone on Christmas. He heard Ron, Hermione and Draco yelling encouragement behind him. Funny. He thought Draco hadn't liked Professor Lupin.

"I can't, Harry, I have someplace to be at noon." Then it clicked. He felt a smile spreading across his face in spite of himself. "And so do you," he said quickly. Harry looked confused, but Remus jumped down off the chair to sit on the floor by the fire.

"I should have known she wouldn't wait! Ha! I wonder if he knows what she's up to? Harry – All four of you should get out your dress robes. I'll floo the rest of the Order. If she wants a party, we'll give her one!"

An hour later found the entirety of the Order of the Phoenix milling about the pavilion behind Severus Snape's childhood home as the house elves tried desperately to convince fairies to stay in the huge Christmas tree for just a few hours.

The pillars holding up the roof were decorated with vining ivy and fairies already fluttered delicately among the leaves, some holding red poinsettia leaves. Lupso had taken it upon himself to add a few touches that his previous masters had never thought of.

The Weasleys looked about in astonishment as they apparated onto the pavilion, which rotated languidly in the center of the lake. Everyone was here. They were a little startled to see Macnair, sitting alone with an untouched shot of fire whiskey in front of him. His memories of this pavilion were strong. It was a time when things had been, if not much simpler, at least less dark. He was trying hard not to think of all the things he and Severus had done since that time, and failing.

The members of the Order of the Phoenix walked past him, chatting together. Their stares were not unfriendly, but not accepting either. He wondered if this is how Severus had felt as a spy all these years. Surrounded by Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, and even the occasional Hufflepuff, all of whom looked down on Slytherins as the embodiment of evil. He was just about to throw back his drink when someone sat down heavily in front of him.

"Macnair?" It was Arthur Weasley, and Macnair flinched, remembering that only last night he'd been trying to hand this man over to the Dark Lord. He had been only a few moments from doing so. He looked up and met the older man's eye. Arthur had been out of school by the time Macnair was old enough to attend, so they'd never actually met, except for the various duels and scuffles they'd both been involved in.

Arthur was holding out a hand, and Macnair narrowed his eyes. What kind of foolish –

"No hard feelings, then? Muriel says you're alright, you know." Before he quite realized what he was doing, he'd taken the man's hand. A wave of gratitude swept over him. Forgiveness was not something he'd had much experience with in his lifetime.

"Thanks," he managed to choke out as Arthur smiled at him warmly. Someone clapped him on the back, and sat down beside him. He looked an awful lot like Arthur, but Macnair didn't know which Weasley he was. There were so many of them!

"Charlie," he said, holding out a callused hand. Macnair shook it, too. The next hour passed amiably. Professor Dumbledore arrived, bringing Professor McGonagall. The last of the Order was here. All they had to do was wait for the guests of honor.

Remus smiled to himself. Knowing Mur, she'd only invited him, and probably Macnair, to sign the certificate as witnesses. Dumbledore's wink had confirmed that for him only a moment before. And he knew Severus would never imagine that the whole Order would be anxious to be with him today. But Remus knew better. He had flooed every single member of the Order who knew about Severus' position as spy. And every one of them had been delighted to hear that he was getting married. Many had uprooted their entire families on Christmas day just to be here. As he looked around, he realized that there wasn't a single person missing.

It was this thought that caused him to stop a house elf and ask for another drink. He turned to look at the lake as he swallowed his fourth shot of fire whiskey. Who was he kidding? No one missing? EVERYONE was missing. Everyone important to him, at least.

Harry watched the last of the marauders down another drink and left his own half finished to go and look over the lake with him. He rested his arms on the railing, not knowing if Remus had even noticed him yet. "What would they think, if they were here now?" he asked quietly. Remus didn't look at him.

"James would be impressed with the pavilion in spite of himself and mutter that it must have been Deesia's idea. Peter would agree with James. Lily would already be dancing, and Sirius would be heartbroken." Remus replied in monotone. He barely realized what he'd said until Harry suddenly straightened up.

"Why?" Finally Remus turned to face him.

"He and Muriel were engaged. It was a long time ago. Before Azkaban." He said quietly. Harry's brow creased. His Godfather's fiancée was going to marry Snape? "He would have wanted her to be happy," Remus added quietly, as much for his own benefit as Harry's.

Harry nodded silently. Sirius would have wanted them all to be happy.


	13. Chapter 12 The Wedding

**Chapter 12 - The Wedding**  
  
"What in Merlin's name is all this?" Severus asked. They'd just caught sight of the lake and they both stopped short and stared. It looked like everyone they knew was standing on the platform before them. Muriel blinked a few times, but didn't answer. "Mur, I'm supposed to be in hiding!"  
  
"I only invited Dumbledore, Macnair and Remus, I swear. I didn't even tell Remus why he was coming." Mur cast a worried glance at Severus, who had already figured it out. She was relieved to see that he was fighting back a smile. He took her hand and they apparated onto the pavilion.  
  
Everyone went silent for a moment when they appeared. Severus noticed Macnair sitting with Arthur and Charlie and winked, at which both the Weasleys raised their eyebrows. Their experience with the taciturn professor had never included winking.  
  
Dumbledore ushered them to the other side of the pavilion with a familiar twinkle in his eye as the Order members clapped and whistled. There was also a great deal of whispering.  
  
"Did I just see Severus smile?"  
  
"I don't think his robes are quite black, are they?"  
  
"No, that's definitely blue."  
  
"I've never seen him not look angry." This last was Hermione. Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"No one is angry all the time, Hermione. Not even Lucius," he said with a shudder. Hermione only nodded and watched as Dumbledore cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, you all know why we are here today, but I understand that Severus may not yet have been informed." A few people laughed nervously as Severus tried to glare around at them as he always had. Muriel stepped hard on his foot and chuckled into her hand when he jumped and turned to look at her. Dumbledore continued to smile at them both fondly. Muriel looked up at him.  
  
"Professor, before we begin, I'd like a chance to set the record straight." Dumbledore nodded as Severus narrowed his eyes at her. "Several of you probably heard me say some things to Severus last night that were patently untrue. I thought maybe you wouldn't mind if I tell you how I really feel."  
  
Remus smirked and caught Severus' eye as she spoke. The Potions master quickly found a point on the floor near his feet on which to concentrate. He had not been caught blushing since his fourth year at Hogwarts, and he had the uncomfortable feeling that Muriel was going to embarrass him in front of the entire Order in the next few moments. He wasn't wrong.  
  
"I have never met a braver man than Severus Snape," she said quietly. "All of you have put the needs of the wizarding world ahead of your own. You have found ways to be at every Order meeting, and performed your missions in spite of the danger. But when your missions are over, you go back to your families, friends, and coworkers and find acceptance and understanding. The people around you know that what you're doing is right."  
  
"Severus goes back to all our old friends to find the same political struggles and power plays that we dealt with as children, and a great deal more danger." She turned away from the others to look at Severus, and he did his best not to meet her eyes. "I'm so proud of you, Sev," she said quietly. "You found what was right before it was too late."  
  
Severus looked quickly toward Dumbledore, who was smiling at him even more openly. Only the headmaster saw the tear that slid down his young friend's cheek. With a flick of his wand he removed it and Severus nodded his thanks before turning back to Muriel.  
  
The ceremony was short, but the members of the Order had no intention of leaving right away. Many stayed to offer congratulations, and some to dance. Muriel noticed over Severus' shoulder that Draco was dancing with Hermione, and pointed it out to Severus, who winced. "How's Weasley?" he whispered. She looked around until she found him, sulking at a table while Harry tried to convince him to just go cut in. Muriel laughed.  
  
"That was us once," she pointed out quietly. Severus knew she wanted to talk to Ron.  
  
"I need to talk with Macnair," he said quickly, kissing her forehead.  
  
"Thanks," she replied, making her way toward the boys' table. Ron didn't look up as she sat down, but Harry grinned.  
  
"Congratulations, Professor," he said. Mur could tell immediately that Remus had told him about Sirius. His smile was just a little too forced, and he was doing his best to conceal his mind. She decided it would be best not to mention it just now.  
  
"Thanks Harry. Where's Draco?" This caused Ron to look back at the dance floor sharply, then back at his drink. She laughed.  
  
"Do you know that in my fourth year of school I asked a very handsome 26 year old man to take me to the Halloween ball to make Severus jealous? I'd sat around for two weeks after the announcement waiting for him to ask me, and it seemed like he never would. He didn't talk to me for quite a while after that dance." Ron was staring at her like she was crazy. He didn't get it.  
  
"What I'm saying is that if you want her, tell her now, or you'll have to wait 15 years to find each other again like we did," she said bluntly. "A girl can fall in love with someone else when the man she wants doesn't seem interested." Both boys were now looking at her with their mouths open, but she only laughed and stood, wanting to find Remus. She looked all over the pavilion, but he didn't seem to be there anymore.  
  
She finally spotted him walking on the bank of the lake, and apparated to his side. He jumped. "You told him," she said quietly. It wasn't an accusation, but Remus wasn't feeling very discerning, and got defensive.  
  
"It just slipped out."  
  
"It's alright. He has a right to know." They walked in silence. Remus had long since gotten used to being able to hide his thoughts from her, but they were written all over his face. "I miss him, too, you know," she said quietly.  
  
He didn't answer. How could she say she missed Sirius when she'd just married someone else? It sure seemed selfish to him.  
  
"I would have given anything to come back here and find Sirius again, Remus, but that isn't how it happened," she whispered suddenly, turning to look into the woods. He stopped walking as well and put an arm around her, wondering how she'd guessed his thoughts.  
  
"I thought you couldn't tell what I was thinking."  
  
"I can't. But I know what I'M thinking." She paused to wipe her tears away. "We're it, Moony," she whispered. "The last of the marauders." Remus laughed a little. Yes, he supposed she had been a marauder for the last two years of school. Certainly they'd planned pranks together and relied on each other and confided in each other. He hadn't thought that she considered herself one, though. It was nice to think that he wasn't alone.  
  
"We've got to stick together, you know," she was saying. "You can't bail out on me." She fixed him with a searching stare, and he swallowed hard, reminding himself that she couldn't really KNOW he'd considered that. She waited but he didn't respond.  
  
"I need you, Remus. I mean it. You can't leave me."  
  
He knew she wanted a promise, and he also knew that if he gave it he'd keep it. "I know, Mur. I'm not going anywhere," he said finally. Then she smiled.  
  
"Good, because I have a favor to ask. I need you to move back to Hogwarts and take over the group Harry started last year, Dumbledore's Army, I think they called it. It needs to be reinstated as part of the N.E.W.T. level Defense Class, and I've already got the okay to bring you back."  
  
Remus felt his eyes widen. How long had she been planning this? He knew what she was doing. She wanted him out of Black Manor. He nodded slowly. It was for the best. It was just too hard to live there with Sirius gone.  
  
She clasped his hand, then, and smiled again. "Let's go back." She cast a glance at the Pavilion and saw that Severus was dancing stiffly with Molly Weasley and looking around desperately for her. She decided it wouldn't kill him to dance with Molly a little longer. "My date's already dancing with someone else," she said with a wink.  
  
Finally Remus smiled back at her. "Then let's pay him back," he said, purposely echoing an old conversation.  
  
When Harry looked up and caught sight of Remus and Muriel dancing, he nudged Draco. It looked like Remus had cheered up considerably, especially as he led her right passed Molly and Severus, looking at his old school rival with what could only be described as a victorious smirk.  
  
He couldn't help whispering as he passed them. "You married into the marauders, Severus. Welcome to the gang." Remus and Muriel both laughed at the horrified look on Severus' face. However, it lasted only a moment before he smiled as well. He excused himself politely from Mrs. Weasley and went to track down his wife. Remus gave her up still smiling, and went to sit with Harry and Draco, who were watching Ron dance with Hermione. 


	14. Chapter 13 Escryvian Charms

**Chapter 13 - Escryvian Charms**  
  
The students were back, and breakfast seemed even louder than usual to Muriel as she made her way toward the head table. Severus was enjoying his "captivity," in their quarters, since it meant a vacation from the screaming children that normally made up his days. Her attention was drawn to one particularly loud girl, who appeared to be throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the hall.  
  
A glance at Dumbledore told her that it wasn't serious, but she headed toward the 6th year Slytherin anyway. "Miss Parkinson! A girl of your breeding should NEVER be found shrieking across the Great Hall in such a manner." Muriel did her best to sound just like her old friend Raquel, who she knew was Pansy's aunt.  
  
Pansy fell silent. "Now what is this all about?" Muriel demanded quietly. It was Draco, looking sheepishly at the ground, who mumbled a response.  
  
"I don't want to date her anymore. I want my ring back." Several Slytherins sniggered wickedly at this, but Muriel had her wand trained on them almost instantly.  
  
"I will TELL you when something is funny, you great bunch of prats!" she exclaimed. They fell silent immediately. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dumbledore and McGonagal laughing quietly together. She was suddenly aware of how many times she had, as a student, made an awful scene in the great hall. She felt her face go red. "Give me the ring, Miss Parkinson," she said quietly, pocketing her wand and holding out her right hand.  
  
Pansy dropped the ring into her palm without another word. Muriel would have handed it back to Draco except that her hand suddenly blazed with a vibrant red light. She gasped. Across the room, Dumbledore stood abruptly.  
  
The ring had made contact with her old engagement ring, which she'd worn on her right hand since she'd learned of Sirius' death. She took off the Alexandrite ring immediately and felt her eyes well with unwelcome tears. "I'm sorry Draco. It looks like we've both lost our rings today. It isn't likely we'll get them back, either," she said grimly. He nodded as she made her way to the head table and set both rings in front of Dumbledore.  
  
"An Escryvian charm, I'm sure. And I bet Lucius has the mate." Dumbledore was looking at her solemnly. "I guess you'd better keep them locked up somewhere," she added quietly. Though she'd told herself she wouldn't look at him, her eyes drifted to Remus, and it was all she could do to hold back the tears. She wasn't ready to give up Sirius' ring. He got up immediately to walk her to her classroom while Dumbledore took the rings up to his office for safe keeping.  
  
Muriel cursed herself for a fool. When she'd been with Sirius, she'd cried her eyes out over Severus' rather public love life, and now that she was with Severus she was crying uncontrollably about giving up Sirius' ring. "Merlin, what's the matter with me?" she whispered to Remus. The great thing about Remus was that he knew better than to answer that, and she smiled as he remained silent.  
  
Mur's second class of the day was her N.E.W.T. level class, 6th and 7th years. They all seemed very antsy, having just come from Moody's Potions lesson. Muriel had managed not to have any run-ins with the ex-Auror during the first term, but now that he would be staying, she knew it was inevitable. She had intended to begin class with shield charms today, but was side-tracked when Draco raised his hand a moment after the bell rang.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy?" she said quietly.  
  
"We'd like to hear about Escryvian Charms, Professor," he said quickly. Pansy narrowed her eyes angrily and Crabbe yawned, but the Gryffindors, and several of the more intelligent Slytherins looked very interested.  
  
Mur thought fast. "I don't have anything with me today to show you how they work, however, I think you know the basics. A charm is cast on one ring to make it the eye, and on the other to make it the sight. Whoever holds the eye, looks through the eyes of the one wearing the sight. It's a complicated charm, which can only be removed if all the rings involved are present, which makes it ideal for use as a spying tool."  
  
"You can tell when a ring, necklace or even earrings have such a charm by the deep red color of the stones set in them. Pansy, I'm sure you noticed that Draco's ring was far redder than any ruby."  
  
"I thought it was bloodstone," she whispered, interested in spite of herself.  
  
"Bloodstone is much darker, nearly black. An Escryvian charm makes the stone appear almost incandescent, and the red is much more brilliant. I'll make a trip out to Deesia Manor tonight. I'm sure my father had a set I can bring in to show you."  
  
This tangent completed, she quickly divided them into dueling pairs and watched as they taught one another how to block spells. She sat unhappily at her desk until the bell rang and everyone gathered their things to go. "Draco, would you stay behind a moment?" she asked quickly.  
  
He cast a look at Goyle, who nodded. He would wait. Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited outside the door as well.  
  
"Why don't you accompany me out to the Manor? We may find a few other things out there that would be useful, and I'll need help carrying it all back."  
  
"Alright," he agreed quickly. He hadn't gotten to see inside the Manor when they'd gone for the wedding.  
  
As Muriel and Draco walked to Hogsmeade the snow came down softly. There was no wind to change its course. He walked slightly behind her, which she found unnerving. When she fell back and matched her steps to his, she noticed his thoughtful expression.  
  
"That's excellent, Draco," she said quietly. He smiled, glad she had noticed how much his Occlumency practice with Harry had paid off. She would never have known he was thinking.  
  
"We've been working on it. I think we scared the younger Gryffindors over break casting the Legilimens hex at each other in the common room." He looked over at her sheepishly.  
  
"They'll get used to you being around more quickly than you think. It took me until half way through our first year to make any friends at all, besides Severus and Remus."  
  
"Yeah, but you hadn't spent 5 years insulting them before you tried being friendly." Draco's voice was bitter, and Muriel smiled wanly.  
  
"No, but I did my share of damage with the time I had. I called a 2nd year boy a mudblood in the first three weeks. Then you can imagine how humbling it was when he took over as Quidditch captain and I wanted to play."  
  
Draco snorted. Yes, he could imagine. "What did you play?" he asked. They passed the rest of their walk chatting about Quidditch. This was a much more comfortable subject for Draco.  
  
It was nearly dark when they apparated into the kitchen at Deesia Manor. Muriel noticed at once that the house elves didn't come to greet her as they normally would. Something was wrong.  
  
Draco felt uneasy as well. The house was silent and cold. "Draco, apparate back to Hogsmeade and get back to the castle," Mur whispered. He closed his eyes briefly, but didn't disappear. When his eyes opened again, Muriel swore under her breath and drew her wand.  
  
"Anti-apparation charms," Draco confirmed quietly. Mur thought hard and soon realized her mistake. She should never have announced her destination in a room full of Slytherins. She picked up a nick knack from the nearest table and muttered a complicated charm before handing it to Draco. As soon as it was out of her fingers, she told him the password that would activate it. He nodded.  
  
They made their way back out of the house, determining that it would be best to come back for the enchanted jewelry later. They had nearly reached the door when a wand tip flared nearby.  
  
"Hello, Mur. Didn't think I'd ever see you again." The man stepped between Muriel and Draco. At the opposite end of the hall a mirror cracked and fell heavily to the floor, shattering. The man laughed.  
  
"Avery," she said guardedly. He removed his mask to reveal a leering grin. "Where's Lucius?" she asked quickly, more to herself than to him. The two always seemed to work together. Avery only grinned the wider.  
  
Draco's father smirked from the hallway before lighting his wand as well. "Hello, Deesia. Having a regular old reunion, aren't we?" His oily voice grated on Mur's nerves just as it always had in school.  
  
"What do you want, Lucius?"  
  
The man's eyes narrowed dangerously and he raised his wand. "Draco," he spat angrily.  
  
But Muriel's wand was already up as well. "You can't have him." Draco, who'd been about to comply, looked worriedly at his professor. With her short stature and childish features she didn't exactly inspire confidence. He would have just used the port key, but he didn't want to leave her there. Still, Avery's attention seemed to be entirely on her as she watched Lucius. So Draco ran.  
  
He threw open the door and sprinted into the darkness. Maybe if Avery chased him, Muriel would have a better chance with his father. And if nothing else, he could get back to the castle and get Professor Snape. 


	15. Chapter 14 A Long Time Coming noncon se...

**Chapter 14 - A Long Time Coming  
**  
Avery fired a curse at Draco's back as Muriel screamed, "USE THE PORTKEY!" She watched the young man stumble, then abruptly disappear, and turned her attention back to Lucius, almost too late.  
  
His curse bounced off the shield charm she'd hastily erected and they looked at each other warily. "You aren't here for Draco, and you want me alive," she demanded finally. "Why?"  
  
Lucius let a grin cross his face again as he held his wand tensely. But something in his eyes told her that he wasn't amused. It was Avery who answered. "The Dark Lord said I could keep you if I could bring you back alive."  
  
Avery looked extremely put out when Muriel began to laugh. "After all this time, you haven't learned? You're a foul pig, Avery. I'll die before I let you touch me." His annoyed expression hardened instantly into anger.  
  
"That can be arranged," Lucius whispered behind her. She heard him begin the killing curse and threw herself into Avery. Not expecting such a physical attack, he fell and she spun away. There was no longer anyone between her and the door. Lucius' curse slammed into the wall behind where she'd been, leaving an impressive crater.  
  
She backed away from them. The men exchanged a glance as Avery got to his feet. If she got away, they were in for one hell of a night. They lifted their wands together as they'd planned, each aiming a little off center, and cast their spells.  
  
Mur spun and ran toward the door. She managed to dodge Lucius' killing curse, but in so doing, she ran right into the path of the stunning spell Avery had cast. She fell on her face only a foot from the door, not able to hear Avery's grating laughter or feel his groping hands as he threw her over his shoulder.

* * *

Draco managed not to cry out until he felt the tug of the portkey. His back was covered in cuts as though he'd been whipped. He fell to his knees as he landed and looked around. She'd linked the portkey to one of the Gryffindor boy's dormitories. He blinked. That was an odd choice.  
  
He didn't have any time to think about it, however. He grimaced through his pain and staggered down the stairway. The Gryffindor common room went silent as Harry and Ron jumped up to help him. They pulled him toward the hospital wing. He was losing a lot of blood.  
  
"Ron," he gasped, as soon as he was sure the portrait was closed. "Go get Snape and have him meet us in the hospital ward!" Ron exchanged a glance with Harry, making sure his friend would be able to get Draco there by himself. When Harry nodded, he took off for the teacher's corridor at a run.  
  
Madam Pomfrey had only just started healing Draco's cuts when the door burst open and Professor Snape swept in, looking furious.

* * *

Muriel awoke to find her hands bound behind her and attached to the chair on which she was uncomfortably perched. She felt the burning pain in her groin and groaned audibly. Across the dark room, someone stirred. She squinted and reached out with her mind. She encountered no thoughts, but a great deal of conflicting emotion. "Lucius?" she asked quietly. She knew it was him.  
  
The dark figure stood abruptly and came over to her, lighting the tip of his wand so she could clearly see his sneering face. "Well, Deesia, it looks like you're finally coming back to the fold."  
  
Muriel stared up into his eyes for a moment before she answered. "I remember everything, Lucius." There was a tense silence then before Lucius Malfoy lowered his wand. Then she spoke again. "Help me," she said pleadingly. "Cast a contraceptive charm for me."  
  
He put his wand away and looked at the ground. "I already did, Mur," he whispered, his face expressionless. He had hoped that she would never remember the day they'd spent together at the Leaky Cauldron. She was the only person besides Snape who had ever learned to expect better of him, and it was going to be hard living up to his father's standard now that she remembered. A part of him would far rather disappoint his decrepit father than disappoint Mur. It was a part of him he had tried desperately to silence over the years.  
  
They both looked up suddenly as a door somewhere behind them thudded open. Their eyes met for the briefest instant before Muriel shrieked, "GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF ME, MALFOY!"  
  
In answer he backhanded her hard across the face, making her head snap forcefully to the side. She bit her cheek and tasted blood as Avery approached them.  
  
"Trying to get in on the action after all?" Avery asked his friend. When Lucius didn't answer, Muriel took the opportunity to spit blood all over the men's robes. Her face was fiercely defiant. Lucius reacted immediately, stunning her again. He told himself that it was to keep her quiet, but he knew why he really did it. Avery would have her again, and he didn't want her to have to endure it awake.  
  
The next time Muriel awoke someone was carrying her hastily through an ornate hallway. Malfoy Manor. As soon as the words registered in her mind she grunted. "Sev, wait." He stood her on her feet without a word and started pulling her by her hand. "Wait!" she said again.  
  
Finally Severus stopped. He had been lucky to get in undetected. If she insisted on delaying, there was a good chance that they'd both be caught. He looked at her impatiently. Her next words convinced him that she was absolutely insane.  
  
"I'm not leaving without Lucius." 


	16. Chapter 15 Redeeming A Malfoy

**Chapter 15 - Redeeming a Malfoy**  
  
Severus couldn't even wrap his mind around such an absurd statement. "Malfoy? Why?" he asked finally. Muriel didn't respond. Instead, she took his wand out of his hand and did the one thing that would have the entire place in an uproar instantly.  
  
"Accio Lucius!"  
  
Severus snatched his wand back from her, but the damage was done. Shaking his head, he spread his feet to brace himself. Muriel did the same, though she didn't feel much up to catching a flying person. It occurred to her that Lucius must have cast several pain blocking spells on her as well, or she wouldn't even be walking right now. When Lucius came flying around a corner of the hallway they stopped his progress with some difficulty.  
  
"You're coming with us, mate," Severus said, giving him a somewhat pitying glance. To his surprise, Lucius only nodded and drew his wand. An instant later, they heard the inevitable footsteps pounding toward them.  
  
"I'll get us beyond the anti-apparation wards," he whispered, and took off at a run. Muriel grimaced as she tried to keep up. Running wasn't the activity she would have chosen, but at least they weren't riding brooms to escape.  
  
"What the hell?" Severus exclaimed, as Lucius led them into the library. There was only one exit from the room. He turned his wand on his old friend. "You tricked us," he said dangerously. But Lucius ignored him.  
  
He was frantically searching a drawer. A moment later, he straightened up, a grim expression on his face. "Remember when you made me a portkey to come to your house when my father was angry?" he asked quickly, holding up a tattered copy of 'Quidditch Through The Ages.' They were gone before the Death Eaters entered the room.  
  
Draco was pacing the hospital ward when Severus and Muriel came in. He hurried over to help her to her bed, but stopped short when Lucius followed them through the door. Muriel looked wretchedly unhappy for someone who'd just been rescued, so Draco did the only thing that made sense. He drew his wand. To his surprise, Lucius only looked at him mildly before taking Muriel's other elbow and helping her into a bed.  
  
Madam Pomfrey shrieked when she first saw Lucius standing beside Muriel's bed. "He's with me, Poppy," Mur said quickly. The nurse swallowed and nodded before gathering her courage and stepping forward to see what was wrong with her new patient.  
  
But before she could begin the examination, Muriel caught Severus' eye. "I need to talk to Poppy and Lucius alone, Sev," she whispered.  
  
"I'm not leaving you alone with him. You hate him. You always did, and he never had anything flattering to say about you either." Severus was looking at his fellow Slytherin coldly as he spoke. There was no way he was leaving his new wife with the man. He was a monster, and Severus knew it better than anyone.  
  
"This is important. Don't make me stun you."  
  
"You're in no condition to stun anyone thanks to him!" Severus exclaimed. Mur cast a pleading look at Lucius, who promptly raised his wand and stunned Severus. Madam Pomfrey took three hasty steps backward as Draco took several angry steps forward. He faced his father from beside his stunned professor. For an instant their expressions matched so well Mur had trouble keeping them straight.  
  
"Take Severus outside, Draco," Muriel whispered.  
  
Draco set his wand down in Muriel's hand, his eyes never leaving his father. Then he lifted the form beside him and carried him out into the hallway without a word.  
  
"He's astoundingly strong." Mur said, breaking the silence that had fallen with the closing of the door. Lucius didn't answer, knowing she meant more than his son's ability to carry the Potions Master.  
  
"Poppy, come here," Mur said quietly. When they were both standing near her bed, Muriel took a deep breath and addressed herself to the nurse. "You will find when you examine me that I have been raped. Lucius was kind enough to perform a contraceptive charm for me, and several pain blocking charms, if I'm not mistaken," she paused here and both women looked to Lucius for confirmation. Madam Pomfrey's expression softened when he nodded. Perhaps the man had a heart after all.  
  
"Severus should NEVER hear about this. I don't want ANYONE but the three of us to know it. Severus would only get himself into trouble." Madam Pomfrey nodded vigorously. Lucius only laughed quietly.  
  
"You can always put a memory charm on me, if you like," he offered, remembering clearly the day when she'd offered the same to him. But Muriel shook her head. She was about to answer when Professor Dumbledore thrust open the door of the ward and strode toward them, his wand already raised. Severus and Draco were right behind him.  
  
Instantly Muriel was out of bed, Draco's wand pointed at the aging Headmaster. The pain blocking spells were wearing off now, and she felt a wave of nausea as she tried to stand upright in front of Lucius.  
  
"Lucius, you will have to come with me," Dumbledore said commandingly.  
  
"You'll have to kill me if you want to take him, Professor," Mur answered. She cursed silently at the waver in her voice. It wasn't fear that made her falter, only pain. The Headmaster eyed her appraisingly for a long moment, taking in her bruised face and clouded eyes.  
  
"Convince me that he doesn't belong in Azkaban," he said quietly. Muriel didn't risk her life for just anyone. There was more here than met the eye.  
  
Muriel told them the entire story of what had happened in her fourth year, when she'd found Lucius at the Leaky Cauldron. Then she explained how he'd helped them escape tonight. "I can't tell you that he doesn't belong in Azkaban, but I CAN tell you that he deserves a second chance. Malfoy Sr. is all but dead. He can't control him anymore," she finished with a sidelong look at Lucius. She was leaning heavily on the bed, her wand still at chest level. Even her breasts were starting to ache, and the images her mind provided of Avery's hands on them were not helping her queasy stomach.  
  
The headmaster levitated her into the bed even as she swooned. Then Poppy bustled over, sensing that there would not be a duel after all. She was extremely put-out at having all this excitement in her hospital ward. It had obviously done Muriel additional harm.  
  
Dumbledore and Lucius eyed one other warily as they stood at the foot of Muriel's bed, listening to Madam Pomfrey fuss. Finally, Lucius held out his wand in the palm of his hand. The Headmaster reached for it, but thought better of it. Instead, he bent down and picked up Draco's wand, which Mur had dropped, and handed it back to the boy. An instant later he swept out of the ward, leaving Severus and Draco gazing at Lucius with poorly concealed hostility.  
  
It seemed like hours of silence passed as Lucius tried to decide what to say to his son. Draco had renounced him at the age of 14 for doing exactly the same things to him as Lucius' father had done. Draco had found the strength to overcome it, whereas Lucius had succumbed to his father's will and led the life his father demanded of him.  
  
Severus watched the Malfoys staring daggers at each other. He was surprised when Draco spoke first. "Where's Mother?"  
  
"I sent her to France to stay with my relatives not long after you left." Lucius answered quietly, turning his eyes to Severus, who raised an eyebrow.  
  
"The ones who don't speak to you?" Severus inquired. Lucius only nodded. "That was smart. The Dark Lord won't look for her there."  
  
Draco sensed that there was a great deal of history between the two men that he couldn't hope to understand. They seemed to have a mutual respect, though he'd never heard his father say anything good about the Potions Master, except that Draco could trust him. He'd told him that as he dropped him off at the train station for his first year of school.  
  
Muriel awoke several hours later to find that she'd been crying in her sleep. Severus was asleep in a chair on one side of her bed while Lucius and Draco whispered on the other side of the curtain. Madam Pomfrey, who seemed to have a sixth sense about these things, bustled out of her office only moments after Mur's eyes opened.  
  
Muriel swallowed the potion Poppy handed her and grimaced at the taste. "Worse than wolfsbane," she commented dryly, handing the goblet back to the nurse, who smiled. Mur glanced at Severus, who was still sleeping. "How bad is the bruising, Poppy?" she whispered. The nurse looked at her with a pitying gaze, and Mur lowered her eyes. "I need to stay here until it's gone."  
  
Madam Pomfrey nodded as Lucius and Draco came around the curtain. "Lucius, I need a wand," Mur said grimly. He made to hand her his own, but she shook her head. "I need you to go to Olivander's and get me one like the one I had – ask the old coot for something special for a Legilimens."  
  
"I'll go, Father," Draco said quickly. "You shouldn't be seen outside Hogwarts." Muriel smiled. Apparently they had come to an understanding while she slept. Severus chose this moment to wake, and Draco nodded to him quickly before slipping out of the room. He knew she didn't mean for Severus to know about this little undertaking.  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes. Something was going on here. He looked from Lucius to Mur, who reached for his hand. "I didn't know Lucius visited you when his father got violent," she whispered, looking at the portkey that still rested on her bedside table.  
  
"We didn't want anyone to know, that's why we used a portkey. You can trace floo powder if you know the right people. Father always knew the right people," Lucius said bitterly.  
  
"I didn't know about your meeting in the Leaky Cauldron. I asked you about your trip to London and you didn't tell me anything." Severus replied, sure that there was something he wasn't being told.  
  
"Lucius put a memory charm on me. When I was studying ways to break them in America, I found a very promising potion and tested it on myself. I've remembered everything – that interrogation in our 6th year, the encounter with Lucius in our 4th year, AND the time when we were 10 and you put a memory charm on me so I'd forget the first time I beat you in a duel."  
  
Lucius chuckled at this and Severus shook his head, embarrassed to have been discovered. That had been a very long time ago, indeed. They passed a pleasant afternoon comparing notes from their school days. Severus was glad to learn that it hadn't been Lucius who killed Mur's pet bird, and Muriel was pleased to hear that Severus had been more important to Lucius than just a lackey to go fetch food from the kitchens.  
  
Draco arrived around dinner time and the men went downstairs to eat, Draco hanging back just a moment to give Muriel the wand she'd requested. She nodded her thanks and took it out of the box. She was still staring at it, the box lying forgotten in her lap, when Remus came in to see her. He sensed immediately that something wasn't right.  
  
"Mur?"  
  
Her eyes flashed toward him briefly before she looked around the room, then back at the wand. "I didn't think I'd survive when I finished with Bellatrix and Wormtail," she whispered hoarsely.  
  
Remus furrowed his brow and reached to take the wand out of her hand. She wasn't making any sense. But the wand came up quickly to point between his eyes, and he stepped back. "I thought I'd take care of them and that would be the death of me, but it wasn't. The old man who taught me said you shouldn't do it more often than once each year. Your brain can bloody explode." Her voice was rising, and Remus thought she sounded slightly hysterical.  
  
"That's what he said. But here I am. Two in the same day and here I still am." She laughed mirthlessly and Remus drew his wand as well. Her eyes snapped back to him and she looked suddenly desperate.  
  
"Do you remember what I told you in our fifth year? You were never a match for us, Remus, because you were too bloody nice. Get out of here before I kill you." Her voice was hard and cold, and for the first time in his life, Remus was legitimately afraid of his friend. He backed away slowly, remembering the spell that had shattered the door to Sirius' bedroom back in Grimmauld Place.  
  
"Take Poppy with you."  
  
When they were gone, Muriel cast a pain blocking spell on herself and several locking charms on the door to the ward. She had to do this. There was no way to hide what had happened from Severus, not forever. She couldn't let him put himself in danger by going after Avery. 


	17. Chapter 16 Paying the Price

**Chapter 16 - Paying the Price  
**  
It was only a few minutes later when Remus, Severus, Lucius and Professor Dumbledore arrived outside the door to the hospital ward.  
  
"What the hell did you say to her, Lupin?" Severus demanded as the Headmaster tried to unlock the door.  
  
"I didn't say anything. She started ranting about how she never meant to survive what she did to Bellatrix and Wormtail. I tried to take her wand, but she was just lucid enough to stop me." Remus was almost as frantic as Severus was.  
  
"Mur killed Bella and Wormtail?" Lucius asked quickly. "How?"  
  
Severus explained it to him distractedly, trying to think of what other locking spell she might have used. He quit mid-sentence as the door was blown backwards off it's hinges. They looked into the ward but couldn't see anything unusual. Dumbledore stepped inside and promptly disappeared, causing the others to hang back.  
  
"She's made a porthole," Remus said quietly as Severus swore under his breath. THAT was advanced magic. Merlin only knew where the Headmaster had gone, but he certainly wasn't in the hospital ward.  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes and stepped to the side of the door. He was about to blow a hole in the wall when Lucius grabbed his arm. "Avery," he said quickly. "She's trying to kill Avery."  
  
A look of comprehension crossed Sev's face, followed swiftly by revulsion. A moment later a gaping hole appeared in the wall of the hospital ward and Severus stepped through it to find Muriel sitting up in bed. Her eyes were closed and her wand raised. Before he could get to her, she lowered the wand. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with pain, and she was smiling grimly. But only for an instant.  
  
Her hands flew to her head and the wand fell, forgotten, onto the sheets. "I'm so sorry, Sev," she whispered hoarsely. Remus and Lucius exchanged a glance, then stepped back outside. Though Remus had never trusted Malfoy, Dumbledore had requested that the man come along, and Severus had seemed to take his presence for granted. That was enough for Remus.  
  
"It's not your fault, Mur," he whispered, misunderstanding. He tried to take her hand, but both were now clutching her hair tightly. He pulled her into his arms instead.  
  
She spoke quickly and breathlessly, as if she was trying to say a lifetime of apologies in a moment. "I wasn't so lucky this time. He's dead, but I wasn't strong enough. Tell Remus I'm sorry." Her breath was coming in gasps. He tried to say something to sooth her, but she cut him off. "I've been so selfish! Promise me," she said quickly. "Promise me you'll write Macnair."  
  
He pushed her away to look into her eyes. That was an odd request. Before he could answer her face scrunched into a horrible grimace. With great effort, she forced the expression away and returned his gaze.  
  
"I love you, Sev," she whispered. She was gone before he could reply. He cradled her head against his chest for a long time after that, unaware that Lucius and Remus had come back into the room. Lucius reversed the porthole spell while Remus fixed the hole in the wall. They held a service three days later, when Dumbledore finally made it back from Afghanistan.

* * *

"Lucius, will you explain something to me?"  
  
Lucius Malfoy looked up from the chessboard. It was Draco's turn anyway, and it wouldn't be a good idea to ignore Severus just now. He put on a questioning expression that felt foreign. From the raised eyebrow his old friend was sporting, he knew it LOOKED foreign as well.  
  
"Why did you come with us?" Severus set down the empty shot glass that Lucius was sure he hadn't refilled in over an hour. This was the first he'd spoken about Muriel since the day they'd buried her, and Lucius chose his words carefully.  
  
"She helped me in Diagon Alley when no one else would have. Even most of the Slytherins would have let me bleed to death rather than risk my father's wrath." He paused, then decided to continue. "When I found out that she remembered that day, it was like she'd given me back part of myself I'd lost. She saw the mark on me and never even flinched, as if it wasn't any indication of who I really was."  
  
"She knew that the mark only meant that you were human enough to make mistakes. Just like her parents, and me. Her father was a good man, mark or no." Severus said.  
  
"She knew me for who I really was, even when I didn't. If I could get her out of there safely, I had to do it, even if it cost me my father's approval."  
  
Draco watched the exchange with interest, the chess game forgotten. His father had told him something similar when he'd first come to stay at Hogwarts, the only safe place left for a Malfoy who wasn't a death eater. Draco had thought long and hard before accepting Lucius back into his life. After all, their relationship up until now had been based strictly on fear. But whatever else she'd done, Muriel had left a lasting legacy with the Malfoy family. Lucius had already sent for Narcissa, who was scheduled to arrive under guard by the Order next week.  
  
The men fell silent and Severus turned to pour another drink, only to find someone already holding the bottle. An unsteady hand filled his glass for him, and then another for its owner.  
  
"Here's to knowing each other," Remus said quietly, lifting his glass to Severus. It wasn't lost on any of them that the toast was proposed by the only man in the room who wasn't raised to dark magic, the only Gryffindor. Yet they knew in that moment that he was right. They DID know each other. Severus, Draco and Lucius raised their glasses as well.  
  
FIN  
  
A/N: This is an alternative to the 11th segment of my story. It will please some of my reviewers, who felt Snape got the short end of the stick with my original version. (Not that he faired particularly well here, either.) It will annoy a few reviewers who were glad my first attempt didn't end up a cliché. All the stories that follow will be based upon "11 Sorting Things Out" rather than this story. (I will begin updating it tomorrow - Sunday, I mean.) Sorry to disappoint, but I had to at least give them a chance. Turns out it didn't take Sev nearly as long to swallow his pride as it took Sirius. Boys! You just never know what they're going to do until you sit down to write about them! 


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